I was talking with a friend last week who operates is own woodworking business.  They do all types of projects but focus on a lot of repeat business from larger companies looking to make impressive display centers.  They use a CNC machine as the center of their shop as well as all the other typical machines you would find in a big shop.  My friend mention the fact that it is getting terribly hard to find highly skilled craftsman these days.  No one really wants to work hard at a craft that focuses on talent, everyone wants to rush things and get as much done as possible in the shortest amount of time.  While that can be good for business, its not good for shop owners since the ranks of which to choose good competent help is getting smaller and smaller each year.  When you do find someone decent they always seem to want huge money.  I myself have a problem paying someone wages that exist in the doctor lawyer level for a days work.  Still if you can manage to find someone that is knowledgeable, it can considerably shorten your training time in guiding them in what you want done.  This in turn creates a catch 22 scenario.  Most applicants today seem to be of the ‘helper” status which does not do a busy shop much good either.

If “budding entrepeneurs” would take the time to realize, they could command good money from the woodworking field, perhaps more would slow down and concentrate on skills that would give them long term work.  Just as the USA is realizing its smart to get back to basics and conserve energy, use less gas and put common sense to work, they are also realizing that craftsmanship is valuable.  A guy or gal thinking about going into the woodworking industry would have tremendous value if they knew how to embrace the Web 2.0 atmosphere of the Internet combined with old fashioned skill in their field.

Related posts:

• Building Children’s Furniture, Part 1

One Response to “Highly Skilled Craftsman”