The Vermont Arts Council is an independent, nonprofit organization that has partnerships with educational institutions, corporate and independent artists. The VAC coordinates educational opportunities at both galleries and studios, as well as high schools, colleges and universities. These opportunities range from full-on apprenticeships to workshops to formal class and training programs, often including partnerships with independent forgers throughout Vermont. Unless formalized apprenticeships or coursework can later work towards a post-secondary degree, all scholastic training through the Vermont Arts Council typically only acts as informal education, possibly resulting in a certificate of completion, but no degree.
The traditional method for learning how to forge metal, apprenticeships can be secured by contacting a master forger and independently setting the terms of your apprenticeships. Apprenticeships depend upon the individual master forger but typically take between two and five years. The concept behind apprenticeship is the process of slow immersion, whereby an apprentice will first familiarize himself or herself with the tools and workspace of a forger before moving onto the fabrication of simple items. As time progress, so too does the difficulty of the projects the apprentice undertakes. Apprenticeships do not confer degrees, but rather the equally valuable credibility of becoming a certified forger recognized by the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers.
Traditional four-year colleges and universities in Vermont occasionally offer focuses on metal forging in their studio art academic programs. Studio programs split students' time between classroom instruction on the history and processes of metal forging and hands-on learning in the studio or forge, where students are able to directly apply the concepts they learn in the classroom to their craftsmanship. Oftentimes "metal forging" is conceived of as a subdivision of "sculpture," as it is in the University of Vermont's studio art program. Traditional colleges and universities offer a variety of degrees ranging from Bachelors of Arts to Masters of Fine Arts to Doctorates.
Similar to traditional universities, vocational arts schools split a student's time between the classroom and the studio. Unlike traditional universities, many of which require comprehensive liberal studies coursework, vocational arts schools focus entirely on the artistic practice or principle that will be the student's specialty. Vocational arts schools typically only offer Associates Degrees, though some offer training Masters of Fine Arts, such as the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Typically, those vocational schools that offer MFAs require previous coursework or relevant experience in order to be considered for an MFA program.