The apprentice system was also the world’s first version of vocational school. It was a place to learn a trade—though in certain instances the trade in question could be extremely highbrow. Many associate the apprentice system with artisans like blacksmiths or carpenters, but it has also historically been the primary mode of education for future scholars and artists. In fact, even today’s doctoral programs are really apprenticeships where a junior researcher (the PhD candidate) learns by doing research under and alongside a professor. Medical residency programs are also really apprenticeships.
