55% tattoo cut + more (need advice)

edit: thanks everyone :) I decided not to go forward and am continuing my search. I appreciate all the advice! deleted some details here to keep a little bit more anonymity with the situation.

I'm interviewing for an apprenticeship and the person is looking to be paid 7k for teaching me. they want $1500 up front, plus 55% of each tattoo I do; 45% goes to the shop and 10% goes towards paying off this 7k. (so my take home from every tattoo would be 45%).

If I chose to do this I would be paying them 55% of every tattoo until I pay off the remaining 5.5k to them. After paying off the 5.5k, then my apprentice cut would be 55/45 (55 in my favor). and I need to have the 7k paid off before they'll let me be licensed.

I'm thinking about continuing my search but I need to hear from others in the industry if the financial part of all of this sounds weird, or good, or whatever. I just don't want to take the risk and do my apprenticeship here if the financial part is going to set me back. but it also doesn't make sense to hop around if the new growing standard is paying for an apprenticeship. (I know some do, some don't.)