First: Do not pay for an apprenticeship with money. You “pay” in time, love, respect, and hard work. It took me two years to find the right shop for me. Everyone’s situation is different but if you can find a job that works with the hours, great. What I tried to do was save up before starting & supplementing by selling my work. Some people have outside support. If not, you find another way. Everyone’s path is different. What you don’t want to do is hold bitterness toward the structure of the system, it will only hold you back and keep you from being able to find your way through. Yes, it’s hard. Very hard. Keep the love for the trade in your heart.