I’ve read the pros an cons to the apprenticeship, but I’ve only
learnt from the pros. However it does depend on for whom you’re an
apprentice for. I was an apprentice for 2 years before doing an HND
in Birmingham. Those 2 years as an apprentice taught me more than
any course ever could. Because I built up a friendship with my
mentor and because we got on so well, competiton has never been an
issue. We only want to see the other succeed, despite the fact that
he taught me and I learnt from him.
On the other side there is a jeweller I know of who offers to take
apprentices on at his workshop, teaching them nothing new (if
anything) and offering (at best) minimum wage, and expects to be
thanked for the oppotunity.
I have been very lucky with my experience, and I know this. I
understand that people have to work hard to learn their trade but
they should never be treated less than people.
Research your mentor, know what you want and what you want to learn
and make sure you never get ripped off. By a customer, a tutor, a
mentor or yourse lf.
Those 2 years as an apprentice taught me more than any course ever
could.
The point - there’s always gotta be a point. You’re a dumb kid, you
decide to go to college and become an engineer. You like it, you do
well, and you graduate and get a job building bridges. That is a
transformative
experience - you walk into it one person and come out the other end
entirely different. That is contrasted with, “I’m always learning
new things.” which we all do.
Me, I’ve had four of those transformative experiences. First I
became a silversmith, got real good at it, thought I was really cool
and stuff. Then I got another job that showed me everything I DIDN’T
know - everything was up, for me. Then I did it again, in a finer
shop where everything I saw was uphill. Each time I emerged not just
smarter but with a whole new body of knowlege and ability. “Real”
goldsmithing just isn’t much taught in schools at all. There are
some like Revere who do a good job of it. That’s largely because it
isn’t so much learned as absorbed…
I went to Fashion Institute of Technology, with some bench
proficiency, prior to enrolling. It is a 2 year course geared toward
opening your own shop, designing jewelry for a living, and/or getting
a mid-level white collar job in the industry. I went into a bench job
upon graduation, but was too slow for the boss. I left the industry
but continued making jewelry on my own. My next employment was as a
repairman in a mall shop many years later. the guy who interviewed me
was the senior jeweler. He gave me an education in the 7 or so months
he was there on how to really get jobs done! His first comment when I
started learning from him was, “when you get the chance, pass along
your knowledge to someone else.” He gave it to me freely and asked
that I do the same when I could. So teachers are still out there. I
now volunteer at the local lapidary club in their silversmithing lab
and I love it.
Zanes,
Very true and good advice about sharing. Knowledge is ment to be
shared, otherwise they have to dig a very shallow or very deep grave.
What is this crap about about a mid level white collar job in the
industry, I have have had a few close but no way am I going to wear a
tie close to rotating. I don’t play well in the corporate world 
jeffD
Demand Designs
Analog/Digital Modelling & Goldsmithing
http://www.gmavt.net/~jdemand