"I don't see how you are going to get someone to take you as an apprentice if you bring nothing to the table."

Right, that is the whole idea of being an apprentice you don't know anything, which is as you say why they don't exist anymore. Bad deal for "masters" in a world of high labour mobility. The original deal was spend 7 years and a then relocate far from the master (Journeyman for a reason). Current version is stay 7 weeks and set up next door.