Apprenticeship is sponsored by employers and others who can actually hire and train individuals in the workplace, and it combines hands-on training on the job with related theoretical instruction. Apprenticeship has a specific legal status and is regulated by federal and state laws and regulations. Apprenticeship generally requires a significant investment of time and money on the part of employers or other sponsors. Apprenticeship provides wages to apprentices during training according to predefined wage scales. Apprentices learn by working directly under master workers in their occupations.
Apprenticeship involves both written agreements and implicit expectations.
It is equally important to understand what apprenticeship is not. In Austria, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, apprenticeship is a common path for transition from school to work. The DOL's Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training oversees apprenticeship functions in collaboration with agencies in 27 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Apprenticeship programs may be sponsored by employers, employer associations, or jointly by employers and unions. Programs registered with state or federal agencies offer apprenticeships in approximately 830 occupations.