An apprentice is someone who is learning a trade by working under the guidance of skilled workers of that trade, called journeyman. It is on-the-job training. You earn while you learn, and you are paid a wage from the first day you become a working apprentice. Today, women are training as floorlayer apprentices, too. Apprentices are usually paid at about 50% of the journeyman rate of pay to start. Your wages are increased periodically, usually every six months, until you reach the full journeyman scale. It takes three or four years to become a journeyman floorlayer. But remember, the training costs you nothing!