Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the process and activities of apprenticeship from onboarding to professional development. Design/methodology/approach: Literature was reviewed to highlight the important characteristics of cognitive and collaborative apprenticeship, onboarding and professional development. Findings: The conceptual model was developed to identify the specific activities of apprenticeship at the onboarding, developmental and proficient phases. Originality/value: This study enlightens the aspects of the way in which apprentices can make adjustments to their organizations and become proficient workforces.