Apprenticeships aren’t only for electricians and jedis.

Apprenticeship programs are a great way to change your career but staying employed and earning money. Most apprenticeships are paid from the beginning, and while the rate is lower than once the apprentice is fully trained, it is a better route than being an intern and not getting paid at all.

The most well known careers that start through apprenticeship are electricians and plumbers. However, there is a large assortment of jobs that go this route; anything from an accounts payable clerk to a wastewater treatment plant operator.

There is also a growing market for green jobs that have apprenticeship programs.

Here’s a state by state list of federal apprenticeship programs available. Some states can create their own apprenticeship programs, so you can do a little bit of looking around to find out if you can get into that career through apprenticeships.

Laurene Shatkin, co-author of “200 Best Jobs Through Apprenticeships,” gives the following list of careers that can be entered through an apprenticeship. The salary data is from PayScale.com

The following list of careers you can get into through apprenticeship displays the great variety of choices available:

Fashion designer – The competition is intense, but if you’ve got an eye for style you may be able to convince a pro to take you on. Once you’ve completed your apprenticeship, you can strike out on your own. About one-quarter of designers are self-employed, the DOL reports. $64,161 per year

Industrial production manager – If your area has a strong manufacturing base and you have some assembly-line experience, an apprenticeship could help you move up to a supervisory role, Shatkin says. $63,497 per year

Air traffic controller – If you live near an airport, this is a great career to enter now. A generation of controllers hired during the 1970s is nearing retirement, so future hiring prospects are bright. $61,956 per year

Firefighting manager/supervisor – This is a good option for those who’ve been first-responders of some kind in the past, even as volunteers, Shatkin says. No matter what happens with the economy, firehouses will still need someone to organize the crews. $53,466 per year

Power plant operator – There are power plants of all types, all across the country, including an increasing number of wind farms, Shatkin notes. The Department of Labor reports that most operators learn on the job. $51,1991 per year

Building code inspector – Many in this role are employed by governments, which are required to inspect buildings to comply with a range of laws regarding structures. $49,356 per year

Telecommunications equipment installer – There’s only one way to learn how to set up a wireless network or lay fiber-optic cable — follow somebody around who’s doing it. Shatkin notes this career is expected to boom as the economy recovers. $48,772 per year

Ship’s mate – Many get started in this career in the Navy, Shatkin says, but you can use an apprenticeship as an entry point as well. Mates, also sometimes called deck officers, direct routine vessel operations and coordinate crew activities. $48,401 per year

Paralegal – Though most paralegals take a two-year college course, you can find apprenticeship opportunities, Shatkin says. The DOL forecasts rapid growth in demand for this role. $46,628 per year

Funeral director – Until someone discovers the fountain of youth, this job isn’t going away. Some directors take college courses to become morticians as well, Shatkin notes, but you can learn to arrange funerals on the job. $46,161 per year

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