Leather Apprentice

[treacyglenmore]

Hi there everyone,

As a fashion student from Ireland with a passion for leather work and tooling, what steps should i take to secure an apprenticeship  in areas such a saddlery or shoemaking etc, considering the limited options available in Ireland. I would love to work under a skilled Artisan, more than willing to look outside of Ireland, particularly the UK or USA. The craftsmanship in some American saddles, boots, chaps is absolutely breathtaking. It  has long been my aspiration to immerse myself in this field.

Cheers!

[fredk]

Two very different fields, decide on one or t'other then find someone who wants an apprentice to teach and not for cleaning duties

[TomE]

Robert Steinke is a master saddler living in Ireland.  He authored books on bridlework, harness and saddle repairs, and harness brasses.  He recently resumed leatherwork and is active on Facebook.  I'd ask him for advice if you're interested in English tack and harness work.  Here is another resource for courses in saddlery and harness work https://walsall-leather.org/

[Tastech]

I Agree with @fredk. Although some skills are transferable and quite a lot of the same tools are used in both saddlery and shoe making  Its the mindset that is different . @treacyglenmore seeing that you are a fashion student , I think you may find shoe making more rewarding . Perhaps even bag designing and making . There is a big design aspect to shoe making as well as technical skill . Personally i find it rewarding on many levels .  My plan to get your foot in the door would be this .  See if you can find even a part time job with an old school cobbler . There you will learn a wide range of skills and get to see all brands of shoes and the good points and bad points . You also get to see what goes wrong with them . After a while you will imagine the ultimate shoe design and construction method . Its about this time you want to experience a shoe factory and they way things are done there . From there you could either go the design path or the making path or both . Making shoes in a factory can be monotonous so bespoke is what you want to aim for in the end  There is a shoe academy in Milan Italy called Arsatoria  google it and go to their website for more course info and see if it appeals to you  . Its is the worlds best academy for shoe and bag design . They offer shorter courses and some longer courses . The students that do best are the ones with some background knowledge and skills  . I will assume you are paying your own way so a  paid job in a related industry will help get you there .  Always keep it in the back of your mind that it is the journey and not the destination that really matters in life . You have to take the first step  in the right direction and the path becomes clearer as you proceed . Approaching a cobbler may be a daunting proposition , Persistence will pay off . Cobblers can be a cranky bunch but its just a facade . If you go in once every 2 weeks and persist they will eventually cave in.  Don't expect to get paid till you can hold your own and become an asset with your skills . You have to understand that to train someone slows you down and you can't put out the volume of work that you can when you work alone .  I have no idea what the shoe making industry is like in Ireland or even if one exists but i do know that Northampton UK has traditional shoe making industry and is short of workers . ( look into it ) . Northampton shoe are the best made men's shoes in the world in my opinion . Your best option is to go work for a bespoke shoe maker from the get go so look into that as well , However i think its best to have experience in a diverse aspect of shoe making and leather work  and you will find your niche . Having said that the Arsatoria course would be very beneficial if you could find your way there .

I am excited for you and the journey that awaits you so keep us posted on which direction you choose . If you have any questions i am happy to respond .

Tas