Labor Code · Training and Employment of Special · Chapter I – Apprentices
Qualifications of Apprentice
To qualify as an apprentice, a person shall:
(a) Be at least fourteen (14) years of age;
(b) Possess vocational aptitude and capacity for appropriate tests; and
(c) Possess the ability to comprehend and follow oral and written instructions. Trade and industry associations may recommend to the Secretary of Labor appropriate educational requirements for different occupations.
For Article 59 (a), see Sec. 12 of R.A. No. 7610, "Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act," as amended by Sec. 2 of R.A. No. 9231, which provides that, except under exceptional cases, “children below fifteen (15) years of age shall not be employed.”
Text and numbering follow the Department of Labor and Employment's 2022 edition of Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended and renumbered under DOLE Department Advisory No. 01, series of 2015. Former article numbers are shown in brackets. Notes are DOLE's editorial notes. Amendments after that edition are not included. For information and research only, and not legal advice. For certified copies, refer to the Official Gazette or the issuing agency.