Have you been an apprentice before? I have been an apprentice before and I have also had some apprentices trained under me through NOVEL Nigeria. There are two types of apprenticeship models in Nigeria.
1. Skills only
In this type of apprenticeship, you enroll to learn only the technical skill. You go from your house to the workplace usually between 8 am – 6 pm for an agreed number of years (usually less than 4 years). The apprentice pays the master for the tutelage.
The master doesn’t ‘settle’ the learner. Usually, you still need to make some payment for your freedom celebration where your master issues you a certificate as proof.
I paid to learn photography under my Oga. Because I was super brilliant and a fast learner, I spent only 5 months as against the 2 years.
2. Skills and Trade
In this system, you don’t only acquire the technical skill, you also learn the trade. Learning the trade means learning the business skills such as customer service, strategy, marketing, store management, clearing, shipping, negotiation, financial management, competition and lifestyle.
The biggest flex of this apprenticeship model is the access to network that you will get. Your Oga’s suppliers can give you products on credit.
You are learning in practical terms every boring theoretical business concept that you would have learnt in an MBA programme at Harvard Business School or Lagos Business School. You don’t pay for it in cash. You pay for it in kind. You pay by serving your master.
In this type of service, usually, the apprentice lives in his Oga’s house all through the apprenticeship year. He washes clothes and that of his children. He does some domestic chores and still goes to work at the shop. Most apprentices in this model are not paid. However, they are provided accommodation, clothing, food and transportation.
All you need to be enrolled as an apprentice in this model is your interest. This apprenticeship model is an informal mentorship. Learning the trade helps you to understand the business and how to operate it. The apprentice learns by observing and taking notes of the tricks and strategies that his master deploys in the daily business operations.
This apprenticeship model is common among the Igbos where the apprentice is nicknamed ‘Nwa boy.’ The learning is usually between 6-18 months while the serving is between 5-7 years. Upon freedom, the master ‘settles’ his apprentice. The settlement involves a lump sum of money to help the newly freed apprentice to start his own business.
The Igbo Apprenticeship model is the largest, most successful incubator and home-grown venture capital system in the world. This model turns over $4.7 billion annually with over 10,000 merchants. You acquire the skill, learn the trade and get some capital afterwards. Isn’t that interesting?
Prof. Ndubuisi Ekekwe explains it better; “When a business owner rise and is already established, he goes back home to take his younger ones from among his relations to train and establish them.” “Do not leave your brethren behind” is part of the Igbo culture.
The Igbo apprenticeship model has proven to produce more successful business owners.
You may not be able to pause your formal education to ‘serve’ your master, but you can integrate learning the trade as you acquire the skill. How? Get a mentor who has mastered that trade.
All my life as a Business Consultant, I have observed that those who do not have any prior working experience are most likely to fail in business. Work for somebody and learn as much as you can before you start your business.
Learning a skill is not the same as learning the trade. Acquiring the skills alone makes you skillful but learning the trade will help you to make sound business decisions. It only takes 15 percent of your technical skills to build a business. The remaining 85 percent is the trade (business skills). Enough of jumping from one skill acquisition programme to another.
Don’t just build competence in the technical skills. Sit down and learn the trade. Sit down and learn the business side of the skill. I have discussed this extensively in my book SATURN. Grab Your Copy Now.