Apprenticeship is first and foremost, a model of learning. It provides a supportive framework for the development of occupational expertise and the broader attributes required to work and continue learning in different occupational contexts. The apprentice journey is a universally understood metaphor, making it possible to discuss apprenticeship internationally. The concept transcends occupational boundaries and hierarchies; artists, journalists, surgeons, chefs, and carpenters refer to the way they served an ‘apprenticeship’. In many countries, apprenticeship is also an instrument of state policy, forming part of national systems of education and training as programmes for young people making the transition to the labour market. This focus on the political economy of apprenticeship can detract from developing our understanding of its characteristics as a model of learning, with relevance across occupations and age groups. In this paper, we will argue that an inter-disciplinary approach is required to create fresh insights into the role of apprenticeship in contemporary societies and economies. The paper will draw on recent research in the UK on the relationship between the concept of occupation and apprenticeship and on the findings from an international collection of commentaries on the challenges to apprenticeship in 12 countries.