After submitting his application, SAT scores 和 letters of recommendation, 法勒 was invited to interview. Interviews for The Apprentice School are conducted by faculty members. “My dad took me there after school one day. 我们开车过去了. I was nervous before the interview because I wasn’t sure what kind of questions they would ask. But everything played out well. They’re very nice people, the atmosphere is very relaxed, 和 it’s just a one-on-one interview,他回忆道.
Approximately one month after completing the application process, 法勒 was accepted to The Apprentice School as an X22 Pipefitter Apprentice.
“I remember the exact second. I was sitting on the couch at my mom’s house when I got an email from The Apprentice School. I opened the attachment 和 there was my acceptance letter.”
The Apprentice School 和 费什伯恩 share common values
Transitions can be tough for students after high school. Fortunately for 法勒, the transition from 费什伯恩 Military School to The Apprentice School was a natural one.
“费什伯恩 100% gave me a leg up,” 法勒 recalls. “万豪会娱乐在线教会了我很多东西，在培养领导能力方面，我成长得更快. 在学徒学校有很多领导机会，纪律也达到了很高的标准. It’s very similar, in that way, to being at 费什伯恩.”
Another familiar concept 法勒 encountered at The Yard, as apprentices often refer to the Apprentice School 和 Newport 新闻 Shipbuilding, was that of living 和 working in a meritocracy.
“If you put in the effort 和 make sure you pay attention, you will fit right in. There is a lot of guidance along the way 和 there are tons of opportunities, 和 you can ask anyone questions. 你不会被任何事情搞得措手不及，因为你的上司会提醒你发生的任何事情.”
对法勒来说，FMS的生活和Yard的生活还有一个非常重要的相似之处. 泰勒·艾伦, FMS 2017届毕业生, 当法拉尔被录取时，他刚刚完成了在学徒学校的第一年学习. Allen invited him to be his roommate. “It was awesome to know somebody already here. I moved in with him 和 that helped tremendously. 我在开始工作的前一周就来了，这样他就可以带我四处看看，告诉我应该在哪里报到.”
Moving into an apartment with a friend from high school, studying the class schedule, learning the campus layout, gearing up for your sport… it all sounds like an ordinary experience for any college freshman. At The Apprentice School, however, 法勒 is quick to point out, “…at 7 a.m., the minute you step in for orientation, you start getting paid.”
Your first week at The Apprentice School
学徒学校的迎新周是一个繁忙的学术评估和人力资源处理的混合体. “The first day was pretty crazy. We went around the room, 和 everyone introduced themselves 和 gave a little background story. They had all the teachers in there as well 和 they all did their own PowerPoint presentations. Advisors came in to talk to anyone from out of state. We’re under a union contract, so people from the union came in to talk to us. 那一天, 学徒学校和院子里的人会给你一个大纲，告诉你将要发生的每件事，以及你需要做什么.”
Matthew’s first year at The Apprentice School
The first year of an apprentice’s time at The Yard is dedicated to academics. Classes are held from 7 a.m. 直到下午3:30.m. 一周两天. Following classes, those involved in a sport report to their teams.
Upon completion of their classroom requirements, 学徒们在项目的剩余时间里，在动手的环境中学习掌握各自的行业.
For 法勒, nearing the end of his apprenticeship, the day starts early.
On a typical day, he arrives to The Yard around 6:15 a.m. 和 makes his way to his team’s Conex where the crew meets to start each day. At this time the team supervisor briefs everyone on the tasks to be accomplished, distributes any mechanical drawings, equipment lists 和 pairs up each apprentice with a “mate” who will be their partner for the day.
“Then,” 法勒 explains simply, “we go to the boat 和 go to work.“作为管道工, work for 法勒 means installing or overhauling all piping systems on a submarine or carrier. An immense task, to be sure, requiring high levels of organization, skill 和 focus.
Looking toward his future
Looking to the future beyond his apprenticeship, 法勒 aspires to remain at Newport 新闻 Shipbuilding in a supervisory role, helping to organize projects 和 mentor future apprentices.
Unlike most 21-year-olds about to emerge from under-graduate programs, 法拉尔对自己的事业很有信心，他知道自己有现实的、有利可图的选择，他很享受这种安全感. “People should really learn to look at the bigger picture when they think about their path. They should ask themselves ‘If I was at a university, for four years or however long I’m there, what are my plans going to be for after that?’”
“A trade is something you will carry with you for the rest of your life,” he says. “If I decide that I want to work here for the rest of my career, then I have every opportunity to do so.”
Many who could benefit are hampered by misconceptions
Although apprenticeships are on a sharp rise across the country, 法拉尔知道，许多本可以从实习经历中获益良多的人，却被对学徒期与四年制学位的价值的误解所阻碍.
“When people think about an apprenticeship, they really don’t have enough information to know if it’s the right thing for them or not. 万豪在线娱乐学徒制的报道还不够多，我觉得人们应该保持选择的开放性.”
“I think this path can be good for anyone. It’s just a matter of being willing to learn 和 enjoying working with your h和s.”
