An apprentice is someone who is learning a trade by working under the guidance of skilled workers, called journeymen. It's on-the-job training. You earn while you learn and are paid a wage from the first day you're hired by a contractor. Apprentices usually start at about 50% of the skilled journeyman carpenter's rate of pay. Your wages are increased at periodic intervals until your wages are up to 90% or 95% of the journeymen's rate, which is usually in your fourth year of training. You're making money at no cost to you for the training.