Hi, Gregor: I don't play, neither did my mentor, nor his father who was also a tuner/technician. I got my start at age 38. I did not attend a school, but learned on the job. When I went to college, I was going to be an engineer like my father. I later decided it wasn't for me, so I didn't finish school. I spent years living as a monk (like our friend "Thump" Gordon). Later, when I married, I needed a vocation, so I took a correspondence course in electronics which took 2 years to complete. Unfortunately, employers here in San Diego didn't think much of correspondence courses because no one would offer me a job. One day, out of desperation, I spied an advertisement offering an apprenticeship to become a piano technician. I procrastinated for a while, but after encouragement from my new wife, went down to check it out. Somehow, I hit it off with the boss, and got the job. Now, I'm 55, and still employed at the same store. I get clients from referrals, so I also have my separate business. I meet people often who want to become piano technicians. Unfortunately, there are very few opportunities for apprenticeships here. But there are 3 or 4 fine schools now in the United States where one can get excellent training in a full time setting. Not to mention Randy Potter's correspondence course, which upon graduation, one could find a job anywhere, or become an independent technician even while taking the course. Randy has a class on apprenticeships, which I highly reccomend. In that class, he outlines exactly how to make an apprenticeship work for both the experienced technican as well as the trainee. It is a shame that such apprenticeships aren't widely available because they are badly needed for new people coming in. Your European system is not in place here. Almost no one goes into a business as a very young man, unless he happens to have a father who is in the business. Most technicians I know started later in life. A very interesting topic. Paul McCloud, RPT San Dieg
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