The Apprentice-Master Alliance - which aims to provide one-to-one skill training partnerships, matching people who really want to learn with experts who will teach and share their skills - has been active since July 1994. This report reflects the first ten months of its development.
The project was launched in an enthusiastic newspaper article by Jonathan Sale, which appeared in The Guardian at the end of August 1994. Not surprisingly, this publicity produced an equally enthusiastic number of enquiries from potential apprentices from around the country. Establishing potential masters and arranging apprentice and master placements since then has turned out to be a much slower process than first anticipated.
In a series of letterwriting and publicity leaflet campaigns aimed specifically at identifying 'masters' the following seven months after the launch saw a wide range of small, independent, creative and trade businesses approached, including individual members of the many craftsmen guilds, trade and craft associations, federations, societies and chambers of commerce. Many of these individuals - offering a diversity of work experience from letter-cutting in slate and stone; photojournalism; book publishing, self-sufficiency farming, to psychotherapy research, ceramics, weaving, and creating stainless steel jewellery - were very encouraging and supportive of our aims and intentions and felt there was a very real and immediate need for such a scheme. However, when it came to negotiating placement arrangements, many individuals backed away, citing economic problems, lack of working space, uncertain continuity of work, workplace insurance and indemnity problems as reasons for not being involved further.
Despite those initial reactions, successful placements have been achieved and are now growing steadily as the project has become more established and we have learnt to use more effective negotiating skills. There are now 170 associate members of the project.
The Apprentice-Master Alliance has also established valuable links, support and advice with the London Careers and Educational Guidance offices, the London Training and Enterprise Councils, the Employment and Training offices of each of the London Boroughs, and UK wide, the Careers Advisory Service offices at each of the universities, the Department of Employment, the National Council for Education and Training, and the Crafts Council.
The organisation has recently had the assistance of Christine Ingham, an independent consultant with extensive experience in small business practice, identifying, encouraging and negotiating with potential masters, mainly in the London area. Her work is proving to be most effective and we shall be publishing our first edition of the Directory of Masters in the summer of 1995, for distribution through schools, universities, bookshops and by mail order.
Chris Schwarz and Tomoe Kawasaki:
Chris is an established photojournalist and Tomoe a Japanese student wanting to learn how to take good quality photographs to illustrate a travel essay, but unable to afford conventional school of photography fees. In return for assisting Chris on his 'shoots' by carrying and helping set up his photographic equipment, Tomoe received 18 regular weekly lessons in developing the ability to 'see' and express her creative self through the lens of her camera. Chris spoke of the experience as being innovative for both master and apprentice - a rewarding exchange of skills taking place. That placement completed, Chris is now very keen to take up to six apprentices at a time in an informal classroom teaching structure. After her essay work is completed, Tomoe has decided to build on her apprenticeship experience by joining a fulltime course in photography and media studies.
John Southgate and Philippa Stonebridge:
John is a practising psychotherapist and preparing to write a book about certain elements of his intensive clinical work. Philippa, a graduate in psychology, whose future intention it is to become a psychotherapist or counsellor, and wanting in the meantime to be involved in research in this field, was taken on by John as a part-time apprentice research assistant. In working with him, interviewing, analysing and gaining a lot of valuable skills and insight in assisting him with the preparation of the book, Philippa is building experience and networking that will prove invaluable to her when she goes for more formal, conventional training, as well as adding relevant work experience to her portfolio.
Research is maintained to ensure that the project is continually identifying new sources of work and training likely to yield potential masters. Likewise, publicising the project through other associations, networking organisations and the media by leaflet, newsletter, or by providing editorial material as required.
This is perhaps not a surprising discovery. According to a recent report in The Guardian, graduates identified many factors which would have made it easier for them to find employment. Number one was work experience, closely followed by help with interview techniques, and information about less well-known organisations. When they were asked what kind of skills they most wanted to gain in their first job, the graduates listed practical skills, people skills, communication skills, professional qualifications, negotiating skills and computer skills in that order.
To aid and support the apprentice who might be on income support or drawing unemployment benefit to avoid penalties while spending a regular number of hours a week with a master, we are investigating persuading the Department of Employment to recognise the project's training element and work experience value, by allowing us to take on board guidelines promoted by the National Council for Education and Training. These are where students (in our case apprentices) can be allowed up to 21 hours of part-time study a week without loss of income support (an apprentice working with a master could be seen to be in work experience, training and study), and (since in most cases an apprentice would not be in receipt of wages, but only expenses toward travel and meals), a placement should not be seen as a financial penalty.
This approach however is fraught with some uncertainty. The 21 hour rule is becoming increasingly discredited as the 500 benefit offices make different decisions about which courses count as part-time and under 21 hours.
Another direction to pursue is that of the work of Charity Action which provides a structured framework for those on benefit to encourage them to gain work experience as a volunteer with a charity. A charity 'Actioneer' receives a £10 a week premium from the DSS on top of all their benefits. Additionally, and separately, they receive a top-up allowance from Charity Action of £40 a month which is allowed under DSS regulations. Travel expenses are also covered by the particular charity the 'Actioneer' works for. Work is for a limit of three days per week to allow for job-hunting time and open learning work and there is no requirement to 'sign on' while on the programme.
The publication of the Directory, which will contain profiles of between 30 to 40 London-based masters, should go some considerable way in adding weight to progress in London.
But the project was launched UK wide and has brought in many interested individuals and groups from outside London and they must not be ignored. One of the major developments in the immediate future will be for guidance and encouragement to be offered to the individuals who have come forward to set up Apprentice-Master Alliance bases in Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh, the Tarddiad Origin Gwynedd community co-operative of artists and craftworkers, the Cotswold Craftworkers movement, and the LETS multi-barter scheme in Stroud. Local bases will have the advantage in being able to more readily identify masters who will know one another. Masters outside London would have been affiliate members, but with an active, local base, masters will be checked for the validity of their work, teaching ability, and their working environment.
Using the services of an independent consultant has confirmed the urgent need for assistance in running the project. As a result, it has been decided to take on an apprentice (or two, part-time), to assist in daily administration in return for general work experience in running a small office, with DTP work.
The Directory of Masters booklet is available for £3-95 inc. p&p from the Apprentice-Master Alliance, 100 Southgate Road, London N1 3JB (tel and fax 0171 249 9856).
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