One of the best ways to begin an engineering career is to start as an apprentice. Engineering requires the combination of manual and mental skill. Because of this one the best ways to learn the skills required is through an apprenticeship.

On an apprenticeship you will be following the instruction of a mentor, as opposed to simply learning the skills through training programs or from colleagues. Learning from a mentor is different to the other practices because you are following the instruction of a skilled person, regularly and in close proximity. Learning in this way is one of the most efficient processes of acquiring skills. It’s no coincidence that the apprentice and master teaching method has survived throughout all of history and is still widely used today.

It may be jarring at first to learn in this way compared to traditional schooling methods, but with time the human brain adapts to the advantages of learning from someone in a more intense way such as this.