r/TattooApprentice

I recently interviewed (met the owner, great vibes) for an apprenticeship. I would love some advice on the details as I don’t know too much about what is appropriate or not.

I look at the contract tomorrow but wanted some insight before I go, I really appreciate it!

Details:

-400 a month (can pay 100 a week)

-price goes up every 4 months (400 for 4 months, 500 for 4 months, 600 for 4 months, 800 - when you get certification) for rent

-IPad and tattoo machine given with apprenticeship (to keep) along with chair, arm rest, tattoo table

- Emphasis on real skin asap, fake skin for a little (other apprentices who are 3-4 months in are doing real skin) (I also know this depends on how much I’m there)

Hi all! I’m 24 and in the process of switching career paths. I currently work in social media/digital marketing, but I’m finding that it’s not necessarily something I can see myself doing for the rest of my life. I would like to slowly transition from this job into tattooing, and I like that I can still use my business/marketing degrees and knowledge within this profession, and have more creative freedom. I’ve been obsessed with art and drawing since I was a kid, and I’m pretty much always making some form of art in my free time. I’ve always wanted a job that is rooted in art/allows for creative freedom. Right now, I’m reaching out to artists I know and am trying to build up my network before looking around for an apprenticeship. I’m planning to move out of state in the next 6-7 months, so I don’t plan on looking for an apprenticeship until after I move. I’ve just started to actually pick art pieces I’ve made to build my portfolio (and obviously am creating new ones), and I’m wondering what else I should be doing within these next few months until I move? Is there anything I can do to set myself ahead and make it easier to land an apprenticeship once the time does come? (For context, I’m moving from NY to WA state, I know the regulations are different everywhere). Any advice is appreciated. Thank you so much!

okay, so to start this off im 18f and i started my apprenticeship in january. my first red flag should’ve been the fact that i had to pay five THOUSAND dollars for my apprenticeship, but i was just out of highschool, trying to get my foot in the door. they wanted me there for five days a week, 8 hours a day, so that’s what I’ve been doing.

it started off as basic stuff, they would only let me clean, which was expected. now that im three months in, I’ve started working on fake skin, maybe have been at it for 2-3 weeks. I was told earlier by my “mentor” ( who honestly doesn’t teach me much of anything ) that my managers told her to tell me that im now allowed on fake skin anymore, or allowed to draw in the studio, because the owner had noticed dust bunnies. maybe im just being dramatic, but it feels very strange to me that they’re sending me back to the beginning/essentially restarting my apprenticeship because of this. especially because I paid 5k. my managers also never told me about these concerns until today.

another thing I should mention is that there are two other apprentices at the shop, who are both tattooing by this point, but not getting paid from any tattoos that they’re doing. only getting paid from tips. there definitely shouldn’t be three of us to begin with, but they actually have punished the other apprentices to the point of making them clean out managers houses, cars, etc. they are extremely exploitive and clearly only care about money/free labour.

any input/advice? I know apprenticeships can be difficult but this shop seems extremely corrupt and everyone I’ve talked to has said the same. but all my coworkers just say “we’ve all been there” etc.