Checklist: Find and get an apprenticeship
How the machinery in a specific trade works
Maritime crafts are small trades with few apprenticeships. It does not mean it is impossible — it means you must be actively seeking and show that you really want it. Use this checklist as a reminder when you get started.
§Before you contact
- 01Make a short, personal application that shows you've learned about the field.
- 02Collect a small portfolio — photos of something you made with your hands
- 03Find out which shipyards and sail-making shops exist in your area
- 04Check your safety certificates from basic course are in place
§When you make contact
Call or visit in person instead of just sending an email that gets lost in the inbox. A firm handshake and an honest 'I really want to learn the trade' goes a long way in a small craft where people know each other.
- 01Ask if you can come by and see the workshop
- 02Offer a trial day so they can see you work
- 03Be specific about what you can already do and want to learn
§Follow up
If you get a no, ask politely if they know others who are looking. Thank them for the time regardless of the answer. Persistence is remembered, and next time there's an opening, it might be you they think of.
“In a small trade you often get the apprenticeship because you showed up and showed that you meant it.”