eople have been transferring skills from one generation to another in some form of apprenticeship for thousands of years. The records of Egypt, Greece, and Rome from earliest times reveal that skills were being passed on in this fashion. At one time, the apprentice lived with a master and was dependent upon the master for food, clothing and shelter. The system that indentured young apprentices to their masters was brought to the New World from Europe by migrating craft workers.

With the expansion of industry following the Industrial Revolution, the apprenticeship system was revolutionized. Compensation was in the form of wages that were graduated in accordance with a predetermined scale. The term “master,” persists to this day in some trades, such as “master machinist” and “master plumber”. By the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, apprenticeship systems were beginning to be formalized and regulated in a manner that is familiar today. The traditional indenture was replaced by modern apprenticeship agreements and on-the-job training augmented by classroom learning.

Apprenticeship remains one of the best ways of training skilled workers, and it continues to grow and develop. It must respond to technological advancement, advances in teaching methods, changing industrial and societal needs, and a growing and aging population. Apprenticeships have been set up in new trades, and apprenticeships in many of the older trades are being updated.