Apprenticeship

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An Apprenticeship is the practical part of a witch's Athenaeum education. It involves a mentor advising an apprentice on an apprentice's chosen career. This often means on-the-job experience, although sometimes a mentor will teach their apprentice(s) in a classroom setting at the Athenaeum.
The amount of time spent in the Apprenticeship versus their Athenaeum Study (in the classroom study) is entirely decided by an advising team.
Typically, a mentor and apprentice continue to enjoy a close professional relationship even after the Apprenticeship ends. In many cases, a mentor aids their apprentice in obtaining their employment, so it's important to have a good relationship between mentor and apprentice.

Mentors

Once established in their given profession, all witches are required to be available to mentor one student a year. Most witches do not mentor that frequently, although some are inundated with requests. (This is considered a big honor.)
Mentors can choose to take on as many apprentices as they choose, although most choose very few because the time commitment required. 
Mentors can choose to end an Apprenticeship if the apprentice isn't making substantial progress, but this is rare.

Apprentices

At the end of a student's Institute education, students apply to various mentors through a series of applications and interviews decided on by the mentor. Once accepted by a mentor, an apprentice then meets with the mentor, an Institute advisor, and an Athenaeum advisor to decide on the best Athenaeum course.

Completion

After completion of an Apprenticeship (decided on by the advising team), it is almost expected that an apprentice will give some sort of gift to thank their mentor. These gifts vary, but they're usually something that can be used in the workplace, but not always. It is also extremely common for an apprentice to receive a gift from their mentor.
For example, Vesper Cross gave his mentor, Tristan Gold, an extremely rare book for his personal collection that meant something to both of them. (It's a secret between them, but procuring the book almost cost Vesper his life!) Tristan gifted Vesper a custom bookcase that Vesper uses in his office. Another example is Marina Cross gifting Phineas with his dragon, Gregory, and Phineas giving Marina a special breed of phoenix that he had helped to develop with other magizoologists.

Important Apprenticeships

Vesper Cross Apprenticed to Tristan Gold

Phineas Glass Apprenticed to Marina Cross

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