Monday, November 21, 2011

Apprenticeship

There's an interesting article on the Good site concerning the topic of apprenticeship as an alternative to the standard US model of education.

When I think apprentice, I think of someone from the Middle Ages learning to shoe horses or weave fabric - certainly nothing that's applicable now. But after reading the short article, I realized that our friend's daughter, in France, is doing exactly this -- starting to learn a trade in a formal school, then working for a while in the field at an actual working restaurant (not one just set up for the experience), then going back to school to build on that knowledge. It's a challenge -- as the article points out, and as we thought when we heard about what she was doing, it is difficult for a young person to know what they'd like to do, let alone, whether they'd be any good at it. But as someone who's currently doing the math for a child to be able to go through college, apprenticeship has some obvious advantages, as well.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it may be a good alternative, provided there's anything left to apprentice for and the student don't want to start out as boss. Some areas have tried Technology School in lieu of college.

Cerulean Bill said...

I'd think that'd be a good mix.