Digital Squire asked:


I would like to become a professional body piercer and have been seeking education through an apprenticeship. After feverishly searching for opportunities in the area for about six months, I was offered a position as a piercing apprentice. I was not asked to pay money, but was told that I would be expected to do a lot of work at the shop. I have been working for a few days now and am very excited to have this opportunity. So far I have found that doing work without expecting monetary compensation really challenges one’s beliefs in how willing they are to succeed. I understand that this is an intregal part of an apprenticeship, since training in a craft is being provided in return. Considering even the tuition costs for a one-year community college certificate it does not seem that unreasonable if compared to being paid minimum wage. Even so, I have been given a hard time by family and friends who feel that I am simply being used and that I am unfairly getting nothing in return.
Although I absolutely love the experience that working at a tattoo shop offers, I want to make sure that I have found a position that will be fair to me and that I am not being taken advantage of. Of course, I have absolutely no idea what is generally expected of a new apprentice and where one would draw the line. After a short interview I informally began working, almost on a probationary basis. As such, there were no guarantees or contracts made; other than the fact that this was only a trial and that I shouldn’t expect anything.
I would like to know what is involved with a typical apprenticeship and what I can expect in the coming months or possibly even years. Since the beginning of my search I have been clear that I am dedicated to learning proper piercing techniques and that I would do whatever is necessary to obtain as much experience as possible through an apprenticeship. However, the more that I know about how an apprenticeship can work the more I can be sure that I am still on the right track.

Brad