Seeking job as Apprentice - Illinois/Missouri Area

[gonefishin]

I live in Illinois and am looking for a job as an apprentice.

I'm 19 and am able to work long hours any time of the day. I start aviation college up in January and will be unavailable 2-3 days out of the week at night only (6pm+). *Days are not yet announced*

I can make the drive to work anywhere in the Illinois/Missouri area ranging 2 hours or less.

Feel free to contact me on here by PM

 

I'm a very hard worker, pay close attention and always make safety a priority. I'm well built and will not have any trouble in different work conditions.

Thanks for looking.

[ThomasPowers]

What skills do you have? What experience?

[gonefishin]

As far as working previously in a smithy, none. I have had some experience with machinery elsewhere and have played with a lot of projects and done much studying on my own time. I'm smart and a very fast learner, I pay close attention to detail and am a hard trusty worker.

The fact I'm also doing this for hands on experience to learn more about Blacksmithing gives me a huge drive - I would do it all for free if I didn't need the money.

Things can be taught, motivation and passion cannot.

[arftist]

More power to you if you find a blacksmith to aprentice with. Don't overlook jobs at fabshops, welding shops, heavey equipment repair and machine shops. Skills learned in these other shops will enhance your chances of becoming an aprentice blacksmith.

[beth]

good advice arftist - get any metal working experience you can - it will all be invaluable to you as a blacksmith in the end! an all round knowledge of how metal works- how it is cut shaped joined manipulated marked etc are all stuff you can learn in any metal working shop - blacksmith apprentiships are like hens teeth - do that other stuff till the one you really want comes along - then youre not wasting time. that is what i would do :)

[ThomasPowers]

I know this may seem harsh; but I'm trying to help you with your "application": Be Specific!------"I have had some experience with machinery" Does this mean you have used a lawnmower or torn down and rebuilt a car engine?

"Things can be taught, motivation and passion cannot" But you may be a negative profit to a shop if someone has to be taken from paying work to teach you; not even including materials wasted during the learning process. You may have noticed that places that teach you skills tend to charge you for the process.

As for the Drive; well I know of a knife guy who stopped trying to hire folks who wanted to be knifemakers as they would leave and strike out on their own as soon as they got good and could start repaying all the time spent teaching them. He wanted someone who would work a 40 hour week for pay and be happy to be a grunt.

While you are hunting, think about taking classes in: welding, machining, jewelry making, drawing, !!!*running a small business*!!! and maybe looking at volunteering at a historic site forge if there is one around.


Good Luck!

[gonefishin]

I wouldn't call this little ad on the forum an "application"...just a basic ad to get someone to ask more through email/PM. When I say I had some experience with machinery I have worked lathes a few years back when I was in school, nothing major. I know a lot of different things just from the studying I've been doing the past 3 years on Blacksmithing but I have no prior experience hands on, which is why I'm looking to be an apprentice...to learn.

I completely understand what your saying, and also know how people must feel when they take someone under their wing and that person leaves when they learn/get what they want. I'm in this to learn and keep learning and make a new friend in the process, I'd be more than happy working 40 hours a week in a shop. I also realize time is money and not many fellas would want to take the time to teach someone with no previous forge time....though if I'd be working 40 hours a week 1 hour out of a day to show me what to do isn't much of a price to pay to have a grunt around. Give me an outline on what to do, show me it once and that's all I need.

It was suggested to me to look for an apprenticeship to learn and also make money since I'm unemployed, so I made this ad. I'm not expecting anyone in my area to even be looking but if it gives me a chance then I'm going to try. There's too much passion in this for me to not at least try for one, maybe someone will see some good in me and take a chance. If I didn't need the money I would offer to do it for free just to learn.

Thanks for the advice, it is noted.
I'm going to keep trying and keep looking for experience to up my chances.