I normally work at home alone but today I have company – two ‘work-mates’. They are not really working WITH me (they are electricians – rewiring our house) but it’s nice to have people around.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed watching today is the interaction between these two guys. One is around my age – he’s the owner of the business and the other is a young guy – 16 I’d guess – who has just started as the apprentice.
He’s a wide eyed young guy who is just soaking in information about his new trade. Every step along the way the boss points out what he’s doing and then stops to allow the young guy to have a go for himself. I can see learning happen right in front of my eyes and it’s kind of cool to watch. He’s obviously benefitting from the relationship – but so too is the boss who now has an extra set of hands, someone to climb into the dirty roof etc. It is a win win situation for both parties.
As I observe this interaction I find myself wondering what it would be like to have blogging apprentices. I’m dreaming out loud here – so don’t be too harsh – but lets see where this leads us.
What if an experienced blogger was to take on a novice blogger for an agreed upon set of time – to teach them the craft of entrepreneurial blogging whilst on the job.
The Blogger would commit to teach the apprentice their craft, would allow the apprentice space to study, learn, experiment and grow in their knowledge and experience of the different aspects of blogging. They would pay the apprentice an income – at a level to reflect the growing experience of the apprentice (gradually increasing over time).
In return the apprentice would commit to working for the blogger – writing, designing, SEO etc – whatever the blogger needed. In this way the blogger benefits from the arrangement as any work the apprentice did would become the property of the blogger who they were working for.
Such an agreement would have to of course be a win win situation for both parties – the blogger would have to be in a position to pay a reasonable income and the both parties would need to agree to stay in the relationship for a set period of time. At the end of the period parties could either go their own way or re-negotiate a deal to continue some type of association.
Just a pie in the sky idea – interested in others thoughts.
