Autobiographical novel that follows the career of a Civil Engineering apprentice, from childhood to middle-age. Along the way, we get to see the inner workings of the profession, from the nuts and bolts of Civil Engineering and Surveying, their technological transformation, to the death of the apprenticeship system. It's a mysterious world that few layman know. And yet we are all surrounded by their work everywhere, every day. The Apprentice takes a complex, twisted path in and out of the world of Civil Engineering, as he pursues other career opportunities and artistic ambitions. It's a story of modern times, reduced opportunities, the "Trickle-Up" economy and people denied entry into professions now restricted to the "Degreed Class."