Magic and physical combat are something that one often trains at for at least a
year before becoming proficient enough at it to survive a basic fight. The two
most common methods for learning these arts are by an 'official' school, and by
apprenticeship.
Special academies of the magical arts, such as the Palestra Magus in Notos,
train students well into the upper realms of magic (Tier 6), though many
students simply drop out before then: Some prefer to have more fun delving into
the Depths, or just being a Merc to hone their skills; some just give up and go
home.
There are also schools of physical combat, the most notable being the Palestra
Ferratus on the River Clear, at the eastern edge of the plains. Many farmers
send their children there to toughen them up for field work (and, of late,
defend themselves from beasts), while some send them there to teach them how to
delve the Depths, or become Mercs. Some children go simply to get away from the
life of a farmer. All become acquainted with the use of weaponry, be it the
blade of a sword or the palm of a fist.
In smaller villages, or for odder Jobs, children are sent off to a person who
knows that Job inside and out - a "Master of the Art" is the proper title for
them, though many would blush or curse when talked to by that name. There, they
live with, and learn from, this Master for at least a year. The student often
gets more personal attention this way, and it is often cheaper than sending a
child off to a school (especially a Palestra). But learning by Apprenticeship
is difficult for the "mainstream" Jobs, the Warriors and Mages (the domain of
Palestra Ferratus and Palestra Magus, respectively), and is more suited towards
the quirks of learning an Adept's or Expert's Job.
Summoning is done only by a few people, who have lived with and by magic for
all of their lives - often, these people are third-generation members of
Palestra Magus. To be as unacquainted with magic as a first-year student of
only one type of magic would rend one's body and soul to shreds. These students
must not only be challenged by the Caelesti (being made purely of Mana), but
they must also challenge themselves, and push their souls to the breaking point
and beyond. Those who know both magic and Calling, "Callers", are Summoners who
have not dedicated themselves fully to the Caelesti, instead trying to combine
both the powers of the Caelesti and the abilities of either White or Black
magic (to "shore up" their weaknesses). These are rarely the product of
generations of Palestra Magus graduates, sometimes even being family newcomers
to the arts of magic.