Learning & Development

How Apprenticeships Work in the Modern World

In yesterday’s Advisor, we received a brief history lesson on apprenticeships from author Jeff Goins. Today, we learn about apprenticeships in the modern world in another excerpt from his book, The Art of Work.

In modern times, the responsibility for reaching your potential is often left up to the individual. This is more than a challenge; it’s a cruel taunt. How can a person be all she’s supposed to be if she doesn’t know who she is, if she doesn’t have some example to aspire to?
Pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps can only take us so far, and despite what we’ve heard, there is no such thing as a self-made man. We are all products of our environment, influenced by the people we encounter and the places we live. Born into this world with zero ability, we cannot talk, much less feed or clean ourselves, on our own. We need help. Our parents begin this process of helping us grow into our God-given identities, but at some point someone else must take over.
In epic stories of old, a young hero is called away, leaving his family to begin a great adventure. But before he steps into battle to face the dragon or start a revolution, what must happen? He needs a sage, a master magician, or perhaps a retired coach. However he or she appears, the mentor’s job is simple: Teach the young person how to sharpen and refine his skills. Take over where his parents left off.
But how does such a system work today? Not the way you might think.


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More often than not in the life of an extraordinary person, at a certain point they encountered a guide, some coach or mentor who helped them along, investing in their abilities to help them grow into who they were born to be. Sometimes it’s a single person; other times it’s a group of people. Regardless, the result is an often informal process of apprenticeship, full of failure and self-doubt, but ultimately instructive.
The truth, in spite of what we might believe about remarkable people, is that you cannot master a skill on your own. Finding your calling will not happen without the aid and assistance of others. Every story of success is, in fact, a story of community. Some people will help you willingly, while others may contribute to your education by accident. But if you are wise, you can use it all.
When you set out on the road to self-discovery, it will not just be you walking on that road. “No man is an island,” John Donne wrote, and this is better news than we realize. We are all sharing the same path as we march toward our destinies. Your journey, though unique, is full of fellow sojourners, as well as teachers who will help along the way. Your job is not to find them but to recognize them when they appear.
In many ways, apprenticeship is an extension of the parenting process. For some, a mother or father figure initiates the transition from immaturity to maturity, but eventually someone else must complete the process. At some point while we head toward our life’s work, someone new and unfamiliar will have to come into our lives and speak with authority. These people often come unexpectedly and can serve a vital role in our education. So let’s look at how you don’t miss these accidental apprenticeships.


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Jeff Goins has written four books, including The Art of Work, and has written and guest-blogged for over 100 magazines, publications, and blogs. He is also a speaker, consultant, and online writing teacher.
 

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