IT'S always been hard to get an apprenticeship in the building trade, but the "lump" was not to blame.

The lump was, and still is, self-employed tradesmen without whom the building trade would not exist.

The fault is with the greedy building companies, who will not pay for the apprentices to be trained by the self-employed tradesmen.

Jim Higson, (Retired self-employed bricklayer) Sheriffs Drive, Tyldesley