Magical Training

Magical training can take several forms within Genesis, often contributing to the categorization of mages by what sort of education they've received. Though there's no regulation on how a mage is instructed in the use of their power, almost all fall under one or a mixture of the following categories.

Apprenticeship of Convenience

Also called an informal apprenticeship, this is the sort of training most hedge mages undergo to learn the basics of their craft. They’ll be paired with another mage, typically either within their home shard or known via a family connection, and be sent to live and study with them for a period of several years.
Apprenticeships of convenience are just that; they don’t offer a lot of choice when it comes to particular specializations, and most of the time they’re under other hedge mages who have obtained their education in a similar way. Larger shards with more spellcasters in residence give a young mage more options, but at the end it’s a matter of what arrangements can be made between their family and their would-be teacher. As a general rule, apprenticeships don’t involve any sort of formal terms. Mages have a sort of cultural obligation to teach the untrained, and most who stay in a stable location and have the resources for it are open to taking on an apprentice. Apprentices live with or near their teacher, and act as a combination of servant and student for the duration of their apprenticeship; they do manual labor and chores, run errands and carry messages, and assist their teacher in their own practice. In exchange, the teaching mage provides training and education to the extent of their ability in addition to basic literacy and practical skills like herbcraft. They provide the apprentice with room and board or make arrangements for the same, and provide supervised access to their own magical supplies, library, etc.
While there’s no official obligation for an apprenticeship to be paid for, since an apprentice is supposed to help provide labor in exchange for their housing and education, most families will do all they can to help provide some sort of material support. Families that may not have much in the way of actual currency on-hand will often contribute in the form of goods or foodstuffs for the duration of the apprenticeship, as their means allow.
An informal apprenticeship is typically started in early adolescence and continues for a period of three to seven years. Mentors and apprentices often become very close over this time and form an almost familial bond. It’s common for hedge mages to maintain a lifelong correspondence and sometimes an ongoing working relationship with their mentor after their apprenticeship comes to an end, if circumstances permit.

Generalist Apprenticeship

Generally leading to a Circle apprenticeship, generalist apprenticeship takes place in one of the great cities and is the path to becoming a professional mage. Children who start down this path tend to come from larger and more metropolitan shards, or come from wealthier families who can accommodate the fact that their child may not return to the community after their training. They often start slightly younger than informal apprenticeships, generally around the ages of 10-12, and last longer. Four years are spent in a generalist school, learning magical fundamentals and general discipline and literacy; following this period, students either return home to become slightly more educated hedge witches or go on to apprentice with a specific Circle for a further five to seven years.
Generalist magical training is run in a much more academic and structured way than any other part of a mage’s formal or informal education, with small groups of youngsters taught in a classroom like setting. The generalist schools of Ys and Lyonesse are funded by the city itself, with the training of young mages seen as an integral responsibility of a magical society and the promise of its ongoing strength. Teachers exist for each of the major disciplines, as well as those who help teach skills that aren’t strictly magical. There’s no formal tuition and food and housing are provided. While it’s not an obligation, many mages offer some form of financial support to the school later in their lives if they have the means to do so.

Circle Apprenticeship

The more significant part of a formal mage apprenticeship takes place after generalist or informal training is completed; the Circles of the great cities periodically accept apprentices, which are drawn from the pool of fifth-year generalists as well as older hedge mages who apply for consideration. Acceptance into a circle is a major step, and a recognition of potential; spaces within recognized circles are limited, and selection carefully considered. Only those who complete their training with a Circle tend to be recognized as full 'professional' mages.
A Circle's formal apprenticeship is long, generally taking a full five to seven years beyond any previous training a fledgling mage has already received. The first few years take place gaining practical, hands-on experience by assisting and observing the Circle as a whole; expectations are similar to those of an informal apprenticeship, with the apprentice performing both magical and mundane errands and labor in addition to their studies. Over time, they become recognized more like a lesser member of the circle and tend to work more closely one-on-one with a personal mentor. The last few years of apprenticeship heavily favor independent work, exploring the limits of their power and their personal areas of interest in preparation for being recognized as a graduate mage in their own right. There's no set criteria for the end of an apprenticeship, and it's largely a matter of their mentor's assessment of their ability.
The end of a formal apprenticeship typically means a parting of ways, though many graduates maintain a relationship with the Circle that they trained in. In some cases, a newly graduated mage will be offered a formal invitation to stay on as a permanent member of the Circle; this is a rare opportunity, and typically taken due to the prestige and security of the position as well as the opportunity to work at the height of their craft. Being a member of a Circle is seen as a very desirable thing, and most mages consider it one of the best possible outcomes for their practice.

Magical Training in the Old World

Outside of the bounds of Genesis, magical training becomes more of a problem; magical communities are spread far thinner, and magic intolerance means that sending a potential mage into the Shards typically isn't an option. A much larger portion of those with magical potential in the Old World tend to go untrained, and those who do receive training almost always do so as an apprenticeship of convenience with anyone able to teach them in their local community.
The one exception to this rule, generally used only when a child shows a great deal of potential, involves sending them to train with an outpost of the Watchers. Waystations will typically employ at least one formally-trained mage, who are often the best and most educated option for apprenticeship outside of the Shards. Those who train this way tend to go on to join the Watchers themselves; a more extensive introduction to magic can leave the Old World feeling almost foreign in comparison, and those who've trained in this way often have trouble returning to any sort of mundane life. Those who decline this option and choose to live independently are often subject to higher scrutiny by the Watchers, who diligently monitor former charges to make sure they aren't misusing their powers in a largely magic-less world.