走人迹罕至的路

不是二线选择

While many still labor under the misconception that an apprenticeship is a second-tier choice for students, it is important to note that The Apprentice School maintains high academic standards to ensure expertise in specific professional fields. Founded in 1919, 多年来，这所学校稳步建立了自己的课程，现在提供四门课程, five-, and eight-year apprenticeships in 19 shipbuilding disciplines along with eight advanced programs of study.

治学严谨的

在学徒学校的第一年, Farrar学习了AutoCAD(计算机辅助设计与制图软件), Physical Science, Mechanics, 数学技术, Drafting, Problem Solving, 业务运作及领导, 电脑及通讯概论, of course, 船舶建造，涉及船舶基础设施的详细研究. 除了这些课程, each discipline must complete a series of Theory Classes in which students learn the basics of their trade as well as specific skills such as reading and employing technical drawings.

在学徒期满后, 学生可以进入学校的高级课程, 他们可以在哪里获得机械工程学位或学习规划或设计. Some who complete their apprenticeships are offered positions as supervisors within the shipyard itself.

进入这个行业的竞争非常激烈

尽管许多人仍然不知道像学徒学校这样的选择, 进入这个项目的竞争非常激烈. 据《万豪在线娱乐》报道, “学徒学校每年约有230个名额，收到4000多份申请, 这使得它的录取率几乎与哈佛大学相当.”

尽管缺乏意识和执着, 误导的刻板印象, more students every year are choosing programs such as those at The Apprentice School rather than pursuing more generalized studies at traditional post-secondary schools. 2021年5月，《万豪在线娱乐》杂志报道称，根据美国的统计数据.S. 劳工部的数据显示，学徒人数自2010年以来增长了64%.

跨越社会经济阶层的吸引力

The appeal is not only growing, but also spreading across all geographic and socioeconomic lines. “We have people from all different backgrounds who come in with bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees from places like the University of Virginia and Michigan State,” Farrar says. “(造船厂)到处都是毕业于各种学位的人, 现在他们在这里偿还债务，甚至没有使用他们的学位.”

Heard from a friend

Farrar believes that programs such as The Apprentice School are too often ignored or simply lost in the myriad choices presented to high schoolers in the United States. “One of my good friends had gone to The Apprentice School and had mentioned something to me about it, 但我以前从来没有听说过它，也没有听说过造船厂.幸运的是，机会总是在我们最意想不到的时候出现.

法拉尔的旅程从大三开始

在FMS大三的时候，一项体育赛事改变了他的生活. “我当时在看摔跤比赛, 弗吉尼亚海滩国民队, 那里有来自不同大学的招聘人员. 沃特斯教练最后带我去见学徒学校的摔跤教练. 我和他们聊了一会儿，他们给了我一本小册子.”

Farrar remembers “long nights talking about what I wanted to do and what I was trying to do” with his father and consulting with mentors on campus at FMS. “There were all kinds of people who [were influential in the process]… [former Commandant] Colonel Gunn played a big role along with [former Superintendent] Captain Black, [前高级陆军教官]亨特上校, 莫顿军士长, Coach Waters and, of course, my parents.”

法拉将注意力转向提高自己的表现水平, 收集推荐信, and doing what he could to ensure that he was the best candidate possible for whatever programs he might pursue.

“在我大三的时候，我真的开始努力打击并把事情弄清楚. My whole senior year was school, wrestling, gym, shower, go home, do homework, then do it all again. 要做好准备，确保自己能进入某个地方，真是一件苦差事.”

正适合法拉尔

It was during his senior year at Fishburne that Farrar concluded that The Apprentice School was the right fit for him. “造船厂的一切都很合我的胃口. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world to be able to build submarines and aircraft carriers.”

提交申请后, SAT成绩和推荐信, 法拉尔被邀请参加面试. 学徒学校的面试由教师进行. “一天放学后，爸爸带我去那里. We drove down there. 面试前我很紧张，因为我不确定他们会问什么样的问题. 但一切都很顺利. 他们都是很好的人, 气氛很轻松, 这只是一对一的面试,” he remembers.

完成申请程序后大约一个月, Farrar被学徒学校录取为X22管道工学徒.

“我记得清清楚楚. 当我收到《万豪在线娱乐》的邮件时，我正坐在妈妈家的沙发上. 我打开了附件，里面是我的录取通知书.”

学徒学校和万豪会娱乐在线有着共同的价值观

对于高中毕业后的学生来说，过渡可能很难. 法勒很幸运, 从万豪会娱乐在线军校到学徒学校的过渡是很自然的.

“万豪会娱乐在线百分之百地帮助了我，”法拉尔回忆道. “Fishburne taught me a lot and I grew up a lot quicker as far as developing leadership skills go. There are a lot of leadership opportunities at The Apprentice School and discipline is held up to a very high standard. 在这方面，和在万豪会娱乐在线很相似.”

这是Farrar在The Yard遇到的另一个熟悉的概念, 学徒通常指的是学徒学校和纽波特纽斯造船公司, 是在精英统治下生活和工作吗.

“如果你付出努力，并确保你注意到，你会适应的. 在这个过程中有很多指导，也有很多机会, 你可以问任何人问题. You’re not going to be blindsided by anything because your supervisors will give you a heads up about anything that is going on.”

For Farrar, there was one more, very important similarity between life at FMS and life at The Yard. Tyler Allen, FMS Class of 2017, and fellow Caisson’s wrestler had just completed his first year at Apprentice School when Farrar was accepted to the program. 艾伦邀请他做他的室友. “认识已经在这里的人真是太棒了. 我搬去和他一起住，这对我帮助很大. I came down a week before my start date so he could show me around and show me where I needed to report.”

和一个高中朋友搬进公寓, 学习课程表, 了解校园布局, 为你的运动做准备……这听起来像是任何一个大学新生的普通经历. 然而，在学徒学校，法拉尔很快指出，“……早上7点.m.从你参加培训的那一刻起，你就开始得到报酬了.”

你在学徒学校的第一周

Orientation week at The Apprentice School is a busy mix of academic evaluations and Human Resources in-processing. “第一天非常疯狂. 我们在房间里走来走去，每个人都做了自我介绍，并讲了一点背景故事. 所有的老师都在那里，他们都做了自己的ppt演示. 顾问们来找州外的人谈话. 我们有工会合同，所以工会的人来找我们谈话. That day, people from all around The Apprentice School and The Yard give you a rundown of everything that’s going to happen and what you will be required to do.”

马修在学徒学校的第一年

学徒在The Yard的第一年主要是学习. 课程从早上7点开始.m. until 3:30 p.m. two days a week. 课程结束后，参加体育运动的学生向他们的团队报告.

完成课堂要求后, apprentices spend their remaining time in the program learning to master their individual trades in a hands-on environment.

对于即将结束学徒生涯的Farrar来说，一天开始得很早.

通常情况下，他会在早上6点15分左右到达The Yard.m. 然后前往他的团队的Conex，在那里船员们每天开会开始. 此时，团队主管向每个人简要介绍要完成的任务, 分发任何机械图纸, 设备列出并将每个学徒与一个“伙伴”配对，这将是他们当天的伙伴.

“然后，”Farrar简单地解释道，“我们上船去工作.” As a pipefitter, 在法拉尔的工作意味着安装或大修潜艇或航母上的所有管道系统. 当然，这是一项艰巨的任务，需要高度的组织能力、技巧和专注力.

展望未来

展望学徒生涯之后的未来, Farrar希望留在纽波特纽斯造船公司担任监督职务, 帮助组织项目和指导未来的学徒.

不像大多数即将从本科毕业的21岁年轻人, Farrar is established and confident in his career and enjoys the security of knowing he has realistic and lucrative options. “人们在思考自己的道路时，真的应该学会放眼全局. 他们应该问问自己‘如果我在上大学, 四年或者不管我在那里待多久, 那之后我的计划是什么?’”

他表示:“一笔交易将伴随你的余生。. “如果我决定余生都在这里工作, 那我就有机会这么做.”

许多本可以从中受益的人却被误解所阻碍

尽管学徒制在全国范围内急剧上升, Farrar knows that many who could benefit greatly from the experience are hampered by the lingering misconceptions about the value of an apprenticeship versus a four-year degree.

“当人们想到学徒时, 他们真的没有足够的信息来知道这对他们来说是否正确. There just is not enough coverage about apprenticeships and I feel like people should keep their options open.”

“我认为这条路对任何人都有好处. 这只是一个愿意学习和享受双手工作的问题.”