Paid from day one
You earn while you train. That is the whole point.
Real hours
Set your availability. Masters work around it.
How it works
Three steps from curious to working
Take the quiz, or just look around
Six questions about the work you actually enjoy. You get the trade families that fit you best — or skip it and browse every master in DFW.
Start with an intro course
Safety, tools and the basics, taught by a working master. Short, paid, and it gets you ready for real job sites instead of guessing.
Get matched and earn
Request a master who is taking on apprentices. When they take you on, you learn on real jobs and get paid while you do it.
Why this beats a 9–5
You get paid to learn a skill nobody can take away.
Most entry-level jobs trade your hours for a paycheck that never turns into anything. An apprenticeship trades your hours for a trade. You start on real jobs with a master standing next to you, and you leave with something that follows you anywhere in Texas.
- No degree, no debt
- A master who has done the work
- Hours that count toward certification
- DFW trades that never slow down
Every trade, wide open
14 families of work
Not just construction. Welders, chefs, barbers, HVAC techs, arborists — if someone masters it, someone can apprentice it.
Wiring & Power
Power, controls and everything that has to be exact.
Electrician · Solar Installer · Low-Voltage Technician +1
Pipes & Climate
Water, heat and air — the systems every building needs.
Plumber · HVAC Technician · Pipefitter +1
Structure & Framing
Framing, roofing and concrete that has to hold.
Carpenter · Roofer · Mason +1
Metal & Machines
Cutting, welding and running the machines that build things.
Welder · Machinist · CNC Operator +1
Engines & Wheels
Anything with a motor, a frame and a reason to run.
Automotive Technician · Diesel Mechanic · Collision Repair Technician +2
Finish & Craft
The detail work people see, taste and wear.
Painter · Drywall Finisher · Tile Setter +3
Land & Outdoor
Outside work, rain or shine, all year in Texas.
Landscaper · Irrigation Technician · Arborist +1
Heritage Building Trades
Hand-cut timber, plaster, stone and glass — the methods aging out.
Timber Framer · Finish Carpenter · Plasterer +5
Forge & Foundry
Hammer, fire and hand-fit parts made from scratch.
Blacksmith · Farrier · Wheelwright +5
Craft & Artisan
Made by hand, one piece at a time, to last generations.
Upholsterer · Tailor · Cobbler +12
Repair & Restoration
Fixing what most people are told to throw away and replace.
Appliance Repair Technician · Small Engine Mechanic · Clock & Watch Repairer +3
Farm & Ranch
Working the land and the animals on it, hands on.
Farmer · Rancher · Beekeeper +5
Food & Provisions
Old methods: real bread, whole-animal butchery, small batches.
Traditional Baker · Butcher · Cheesemaker +2
Print & Records
Accuracy, paper and ink — skills quietly disappearing.
Court Reporter · Print Journalist · Proofreader +1
Not sure where you fit?
Six questions. It tells you which of these fits you best.
Masters taking apprentices
Who you'd be learning from
Luis Ortega
Ortega Tile & Stone
Tile is a trade you can learn properly in a couple of years if someone shows you. Setting, cutting, grout, waterproofing — we do it all, mostly bathrooms and kitchens. Bring a good attitude and I'll bring the work.
Tommy Vance
Vance Metal Works
Shop work, mostly structural and repair. I'll teach you stick and MIG properly, starting with safety and layout. I take one apprentice at a time because I want to actually watch your beads, not just hand you a hood.
Denise Okonkwo
Okonkwo Climate
Most people start with me on maintenance calls — filters, coils, refrigerant. By month three you're diagnosing systems on your own with me standing behind you. Texas summers are our busy season, so the hours are there if you want them.
Intro courses from masters
Start with the basics
Safety, tools and the fundamentals — taught by the people who hire apprentices. Most apprentices start here.
Tile setting for beginners
with Ortega Tile & Stone
One weekend, one bathroom floor, done properly from the subfloor up.
Welding shop safety and first beads
with Vance Metal Works
Two days in a real shop. You'll strike an arc on day one.
HVAC basics: safety and tools
with Okonkwo Climate
Two Saturdays on the fundamentals of heating, cooling and staying safe.
For apprentices
Stop scrolling job boards. Learn something real.
Take the quiz, pick a trade family, and send a request to the masters who are hiring apprentices near you.
For masters
You've got the trade. Pass it on.
List your trade, your city and how many apprentices you can take. Publish your own intro course and get paid for it.