Here in Australia, if I want to be a sparky, chippy, bricky, or dunny diver, I would start out as an apprentice. As a first year apprentice electrician I would get paid about $40k AUD per year to work and learn on the job.

If I stuck with my learning, I would be looking at an average of about $85k per year, and well north of $130k if I gunned it into senior electron-pushing.

Apprenticeships mean mentorship, training, pathways and practical experience. They exist in society because they are great way to turn fresh-faced kids into seasoned professionals in a safe, fair manner.

So where are all the software developer apprenticeships? If I search for "apprentice software developer", I get:

• advertisements for bootcamps
• "entry" level jobs requiring "previous XX experience"
• aggregator listings for trainee jobs in non-software fields

When I started out writing, I had zero knowledge and an extreme propensity to stick my typing fingers in the proverbial wall socket, just to see what would happen. Fortunately I had some great mentors around me to nudge me towards good practice.

Now I get to build entire tech stacks for startups. How did I pull that off? How do I help more people pull the same trick? I'm not sure, but it sure didn't involve bootcamps or applying to trainee jobs demanding "3+ years in PHP/Wordpress". I'd like to...

1. Pay forward the help I received
2. Spark discussion about apprenticeships in programming

So, I've posted my first job ad for an apprentice (please note - applications for this position are now closed). If like me you are fortunate enough to have risen from the fresh-faced to the battle-hardened ranks of keyboard-warriors, I encourage you to do the same.