(And it’s totally misunderstood!)
Ever since I graduated high school and headed straight into a manufacturing apprenticeship program with a Fortune 500 company, I have been a fan of apprenticeships. Hands-on learning and an opportunity to get paid – does it get much better than that?
Just recently I was talking to a sharp 22-year-old who was working in a health food store. When I asked him what it is he would really like to be doing, his eyes lit up and he said, “I would love to be an apprentice working in HVAC”. I’ve personally heard that we could use more HVAC technicians, but interestingly, we had a hard time finding much information about such opportunities when we searched Google, and even the local community college.
Then when I asked him what he would like to be doing with his time if he didn’t have to worry about a paycheck, and his demeanor changed even more, sporting a big grin as he said, “I would be learning about all kinds of science. More about physics and energy, and plants that can help our bodies be healthier!” Believe it or not, I have an apprenticeship opportunity that is perfect for this young man to learn more about science. And I’m helping him further investigate the HVAC thing, too!
The apprenticeship opportunity I’m speaking of happens to be an opportunity to partner with a well-known doctor who loves to teach about plants, foods and nutrition that can make our bodies healthier, and this young man could even be making money at the same time as part of a (gasp!) network marketing company.
Most of the people I meet have no idea how valuable this industry is as an apprenticeship opportunity. Every company I have ever experienced has the following valuable benefits that are hard to find most anywhere else:
- Mentors who are willing to invest their time, and sometimes their money, in YOU before they ever make a penny on their efforts!
- Access to professionals in amazing industries who will teach you (often for little or no money) about the justice system, ways to take better care of your health, numerous ways to save money on things you purchase every day, how to make money on the internet, how to build wealth – and so many other things I don’t have time to list!
- Amazing education, at far less than the cost of college!
- A way to teach people about business and help them build their confidence in their ability to produce their own income – without having to handle all the operational pieces that other entrepreneurs must handle.
- A team-building structure that allows you to pair people up in a team so they can best utilize their natural gifts and talents and have success regardless of their weaknesses.
- A way to build what I like to call “automatic money” – money that keeps dropping into your bank account whether you’re working or not. (yes, there are alternatives too depending on a questionable social security check!)
- Something else that may surprise you is that people can find opportunities to start their own business these days for as little as $5. While they are not all that low, I’ve seen many recently with an entry-point of $25 or less.
- Since I’m into surprising people today, let me add one more thing you might not have thought about. There are a lot of non-profits out there that are struggling for funds that could use this type of apprenticeship to create funds for themselves, while helping their clients.
Case in point. I used to live just down the street from the very first store of a wildly popular ice cream company. Before they sold the company to a larger conglomerate, they used to have something called “partner shops”. They would set up a non-profit to own one of their franchises. Clients from the non-profit worked in the store. Profits from the store funded the non-profit’s services.
Here’s the difference between setting up a network-marketing-based apprenticeship and a franchise-based apprenticeship – far, far, far less up-front cost with network marketing. And quick turnaround to get things up and running.
We invite you to think on these things the next time you come across someone, young or old, who really just wants an opportunity to create their own income. We have incredible options sitting right in front of us (there are literally thousands of companies people can partner with!). Be aware that many of our adults AND youth today learn best in a hands-on learning environment.
My husband and I are already implementing this form of 
apprenticeship with young people, people who have experienced homelessness, people who are recovering from physical and mental challenges and those who have had experience in the justice system. Care to join us?
Email trianglesolutionsalliance@gmail.com for more information.
