Baking proves a tough sell - Apprenticeships

TO what degree does snobbery influence the madcap rush to third-level education driven by the Leaving Certificate points system contrasting starkly with the number of young people wishing to become craftspeople? 

The question is valid when one considers how many pupils, ill-fitted for their chosen points-based university or technology institute courses, end up as square pegs in round holes for life.

Run by Solas, in co-operation with employers, unions, and the Department of Education and Skills, the apprenticeship route to a career is the recognised way of training for 25 trades ranging from aircraft manufacture to farriery and wood finishing. But not the ancient craft of artisan baking judging by today’s front-page report outlining the abortive attempts by a well-known baker to inspire government ministers to set up such an apprenticeship.

Besides the mix-up in which he was shunted from one minister to another, Declan Ryan of Arbutus Bread suffered the ignominy of receiving an official letter from the private secretary of Jobs Minister Richard Bruton addressed to “Mr Bread”. It would be laughable were it not so serious and jobs so scarce. By any government yardstick, that’s unacceptable.

So far this year, 13 trainees recruited by Irish Rail, the first in 20 years, have started work while the ESB plans to recruit 300 apprentices. Whatever about electricity, you can probably train to be a candlestick maker — but not a baker.

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