Luke Roberson
Arkansas Construction Education Foundation (ACEF)

Major: Electrical Apprentice • Hometown: Benton • Age: 21

Like father, like son. Luke Roberson chose to follow in his father’s footsteps to become an electrical engineer. The company Luke works for is paying for his schooling, and if he decides to stay with the company after the four-year program is finished, he’ll get a bonus. A typical day for Luke really depends on the jobsite. “There’s a lot that goes into his field,” he says. “We’re a jack of all trades.”

His advice for students considering an apprenticeship program:

“I would tell them to consider all of their options. If you do choose an apprenticeship school, it’s a good career path and you can make good money doing it. I looked into college, but it wasn’t for me. I wanted to go to work. I wanted to make money and I wanted to sustain myself. I wanted to have a job that I knew I could live off of.”

This option is for you if:

√ You need job-specific training   
√ You like hands-on learning
√ You want fewer years of school

Length of Program

It depends on the craft or trade you choose — training can take one to six years.

Cost

Apprenticeships are much more affordable than other options thanks to partnering businesses sharing some or all of the costs with apprentices. Don’t be surprised to find them paying for textbooks and splitting travel costs to and from job sites, too.

Pay

That’s right. Most of these gigs pay! The average apprentice earns about half of what skilled workers earn starting out, with the salary increasing as training progresses.

Admission Requirements

Most programs require a high school diploma, and some supervisors like to review your attendance/tardiness records.

Housing

You’ll have to make your own housing arrangements. Think of this as a big preview of living and working in the real world.

See more Ways To Reach Your Next Level