Padawan

"The boy. He your son?''" "''No. He is my Padawan. Something between a student and an apprentice."

- Grecker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, discussing Anakin Skywalker

A Padawan, also known as a Padawan learner or Apprentice, referred to a Force-sensitive adolescent who trained in the Jedi Order to one day become a full-fledged Jedi. Padawans were known as Jedi younglings at first, and trained in classroom settings with multiple students and a teacher. After reaching a certain age, Padawans were normally apprenticed to a Jedi Knight or Jedi Master, beginning their one-on-one training. Apprentices would often go on missions with their masters as part of this one-on-one training. The Code forbade the Jedi from training more than one Padawan or apprentice at a time. Most of the Padawans were known to grow or wear Padawan braids to symbolize their rank. After completing the Jedi Trials, a Padawan would be promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight.

After the establishment of the Galactic Empire, a few ex-Padawans that had survived Order 66 or left the Jedi Order before the purge joined the nascent Rebel Alliance.