Tattoo jobs
Tattoo apprenticeships
Structured apprenticeships with a mentor, plus the portfolio and bloodborne-pathogen requirements that come with them.
- Full-time
- Varies
- In studio
- Entry level
About the role
An apprenticeship is a training position under a named mentor in a licensed studio. It usually starts with shop duties, stencil work and drawing, moves to practice skin, and only then to tattooing people. Length varies from one to three years. Some are paid, some unpaid, some charge a fee — all three exist, and the terms should be written down before you start.
A real apprenticeship names your mentor, the hours you'll work, what you pay (if anything), and how long it runs before you tattoo skin.
Current openings
No verified apprenticeship listing is live right now. We only publish roles submitted by a real studio and reviewed by a person, so this page stays empty until one is. Ask to be emailed the moment one appears.
What you’ll be doing
- Studio setup, breakdown, sterilisation and shop duties
- Daily drawing and flash practice to your mentor's brief
- Learning cross-contamination control and needle handling
- Front-of-house support: greeting clients, booking, deposits
- Practice skin work before any tattooing on people
What studios ask for
- A drawing portfolio — line work and shading matter more than finished tattoos
- Bloodborne pathogen training (usually completed at the start)
- Minimum age set by your local health authority
- Availability for shop hours, not just the hours you'd like
Pay
Terms vary widely. Get in writing: whether it's paid, unpaid or fee-paying, the expected hours, the length, and what happens at the end — a chair is not automatic.
Ask before you accept
- 1.Who is my mentor and how many apprentices do they have?
- 2.How long is the apprenticeship and what are the stages?
- 3.Do I pay anything, and what exactly does it cover?
- 4.When do I first tattoo skin?
- 5.Is there a chair at the end, and on what terms?
FAQ
- How do I get a tattoo apprenticeship?
- Build a drawing portfolio, visit studios in person with it, and be specific about the styles you want to learn. Most apprenticeships are given to people the shop already knows.
- Should I pay for a tattoo apprenticeship?
- Paid, unpaid and fee-paying apprenticeships all exist. If there's a fee, ask exactly what it covers and get the terms in writing before you commit.
Hiring for this role?
Tattoo Booking gives every artist their own calendar, deposit rules and client records on one flat $29.99/month studio plan — unlimited artists, so adding a chair never adds a bill.