AS a retired plumber, who served a six-year apprenticeship, I cannot help Kate Langford in obtaining one for her son in the building trade (Letters, April 3) but, I can explain to her, and others like her, why there are no apprentices being taken on.
It is because building firms nowadays have so many men working for them as self-employed. This means the employers cannot train anyone and the self-employed do not want to spend their time teaching anyone.
At first, building firms were going to stop this practice but when they found it saved them money because men worked faster, and they did not have to deduct income tax and other deductions such as pensions and holiday pay, then they encouraged it.
A young man I know who would have been a good joiner, trained as a boy by his grandfather (a splendid tradesman), failed to get an apprenticeship despite interviews and submitting samples of his work.
This only leads to cowboys setting up and ripping people off.
Alfred Thorne
Church Street
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