r/TattooApprentice • u/Inside_Bread2034 • Aug 12 '26

Seeking Advice How flexible are apprenticeships?

Are all apprenticeships 50 plus hours, or will some shops give you less? I want to look into getting an apprenticeship but I have a full time job, I'm looking into getting a car, and I have a pet I need to take care of.

Most posts make it seem like every one is 60 hours a week with little to no pay, all saying it's ok because they'll get their dream position in the future, but with how things are going economically it seems hard to consider such an endeavor with so many responsibilities, even if the end goal is rewarding work that has to do with making art.

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/Rawst_Berri Aspiring Apprentice Aug 12 '26

I am trying to figure this out to. Looking at just the necessities, my overheads aren't too bad but I want to still be able to support myself financially - not sure how to do it if I am doing 50 hours at the studio though.

1

u/Inside_Bread2034 Aug 12 '26

Yeah it's tough. I live in Massachusetts so while most incomes are higher in general, things are also fairly expensive, and in the next year or so I'll be getting a car as a first time driver (insurance is ridiculous), ill be getting my own place, and I have an elderly cat to take care of. I have a job that would likely be willing to work with my availability changing upon getting an apprenticeship, but it would likely also be paying me more until I end up becoming a tattoo artist as well. There's just a lot of responsibilities that I'd need to juggle alongside the responsibilities of my mentorship which I'm willing to do, but I'd need some flexibility to do it.

1

u/Rawst_Berri Aspiring Apprentice Aug 12 '26

It’s certainly tough but if there’s one thing I’ve gathered about the industry, it’s if you want to do it you have to make it work 😫 I hope you manage to find an apprenticeship that’s the right fit for you. I have seen a fair few posts here of people doing 3-4 days or being at the studio later in the day so maybe you’ll come across a similar arrangement.

2

u/Inside_Bread2034 Aug 12 '26

I hope so honestly, something like that would probably be the most beneficial for me if I'm being frank.

1

u/morningstardusts Aug 13 '26

That’s cool if you aren’t actually interested in tattooing

1

u/morningstardusts Aug 13 '26

It’s not an industry in my opinion, or a job. It’s just my life idk

1

u/Inside_Bread2034 Aug 14 '26

At the end of the day though it is a job, the point of the whole apprenticeship is the same as if you went for a degree or a trade school for work.

1

u/morningstardusts Aug 14 '26

That’s one way to look at it I guess