So you want to be an apprentice?

In many professions, being an apprentice is considered the best way to learn a trade
James Murray, apprentice chef at the Knowsley Suites Hotel Photograph: PR

And to drum up enthusiasm, an 'apprentice tsar' has been appointed by government
Eddie Bradley, an apprentice in the bakery department, Southwark Tesco, London Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian

The children's secretary, Ed Balls, said that he wants 20,000 of 35,000 new apprenticeships to be jobs in the public sector, such as nursing Photograph: Martin Godwin/Guardian

... and plans have been put forward for apprentice teaching assistants
Pupils at Heathrow primary school, West Drayton, Middlesex Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

Less typical apprenticeships can include training to be a steeplejack... Photograph: Graham Turner/Guardian

... clockmaker ...
Venice Allen, an apprentice clockmaker and clock restorer at City Clocks, Amwell Street Photograph: David Sillitoe/Guardian

... or organ builder
Lloyd Bishop (left), an apprentice organ builder with Michael Blighton Photograph: Graham Turner/Guardian

Modern apprenticeships hark back to working traditions of old
Coopers (barrel makers) at the Ram Brewery, Wandsworth congratulate workmate Ronnie Fordham, who has just completed his seven-year apprenticeship Photograph: Bert Hardy/Hulton archive

Initiation ceremonies may or may not form part of training
Apprentice cooper Albert Stokes from Battersea, south London, is initiated after passing his apprenticeship at the Stag Brewery in Pimlico Photograph: PA/PA

Everton Football Club is one high profile employer that recently signed up to an apprenticeship scheme run by Knowsley council
Mikel Arteta celebrates scoring against Hull City Photograph: Paul Currie/Paul Currie

By 2020, ministers want 250,000 apprenticeships to start each year, with one in five young people beginning an apprenticeship within the next 10 years
An NVQ apprentice at work on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Photograph: PR

Some bosses, however, are harder to impress than others Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian

Yet there will always be apprentices who do whatever it takes
Lee McQueen performs his reverse pterodactyl Photograph: PR