About a year ago, Gustav completed his exam as a carpenter and got his journeyman's certificate.
Needless to say, I was as proud as a peacock. If I remember correctly, they had 2 days to complete their building assignment and then one day where they had an oral exam.
The building assignments are drawn by lots, and each holds to focus points. There are off course measurements that has to be observed and adhered to, and beside that they also need to make an assessment of the delivered materials and make remarks if they would have sent some of it back in real life if it is twisted or otherwise damaged.
Gustav had to make an inside corner with a roof that has to be prepared for clay tiles, and the construction of a wall and an opening for a window.
For the oral exam, I think they also drew a lot and had to talk about that subject. Gustav got a question about moisture based problems in wooden constructions.
The building part is made as a small portion of a building to save materials. They have to show how the things are constructed, so they deliberately leave part of the wall and roof uncovered so the censors can see that they know how to place the sub roof and the wind breaker and insulation etc.
When all the projects have been examined, the tradition calls for that the families and the colleagues from the various companies including the masters meet at the school to congratulate and to have a look at the completed building assignments.
Finally the next day, the school hosts an arrangement for the parents and the masters where the actual certificate is given to the new journeymen.
For someone like me who has got a bit of interest in history and traditions, it was awe inspiring to participate in the ceremony where the certificates were handed over. the certificate itself hasn't changed the last 100 years I think, and the feeling that this ceremony has been going on continuously for the last 500 years or more was just so amazing. The recognition of the fact that this small certificate means the same now as it did back then, and that it is recognized from Australia to Zimbabwe that a carpenter is someone who can build a house or a structure out of wood is just amazing.
Pedder from two lawyers toolworks gave Gustav an ebony handled dovetail saw with a German silver back. That was almost enough to make me want to be a carpenter!
In Denmark if you get straight A's at a journeman's exam, you will get a silver medal. The idea behind that it is not a gold medal is that no handcraft can be perfect, because perfection is divine. And even the most skilled carpenter can't see inside a piece of timber if there is a small defect hidden inside. and that is why silver is awarded as the highest recognition. (Gustav got a silver medal)
Two Lawyers Toolworks dovetail saw ready!!
Thanks for sharing a wonderful story. And great job, Gustav!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeff.
DeleteBrgds Jonas
Enjoyed reading the story. The pics are beautiful and very informative, too. Some of my class mates completed similar apprenticeships.
ReplyDeleteThey usually took 3+ years - in Germany.
Couldn't help but notice the dark green crate of Tuborg beer. When I was a student in Berlin in the 1980s, the Aldi stores carried Tuborg and Faxe beer in tall aluminum cans.
Congrats to the new journeyman.
Al
Hi Al
DeleteThanks for the nice comment.
I think the German and the Danish system is pretty similar. Gustav took a "new" version of the apprenticeship, where they get a high school diploma at the same time, so instead of 3 years it takes 4,5 years. But the idea is that if he ever wants to study something like construction theory or architecture etc, then he can do it straight away without having to take extra classes.
I never knew that Aldi sold Danish beer in Germany, In Denmark they were known to mostly sell German brands of everything.
Brgds Jonas
From someone who has been a teacher, librarian, systems administrator, and finally developer: it is good to have different options for alternative 'paths' down the road. Some of my friends in Germany became engineers after finishing an apprenticeship taking the polytechnic (Fachhochschule) route.
DeleteI don t think there are similar paths in the US.
Our youngest son has started a similar route only in metal working, I would have gone the same route if it had existed back when I went to the gymnasium (high school).
DeleteLuckily the politicians have started to realize that we need people who are trained in manual trades just as we need people who can compile statistics and analyze those figures.
For the last 30 years or so the tendency was that all had to go to the high school so they could go to the university or some other higher education. And that has sadly resulted in that many skilled young people were encouraged to not learn a trade. But it seems as though focus is changing a little bit again.
Brgds Jonas
Congrats Gustave! And that saw is quite the award!
ReplyDeleteHi Jeremy
DeleteI'll forward your greetings to Gustav :-)
And that saw is an absolute beauty!
Brgds
Jonas
Congrats Gustave.
ReplyDeleteSome university works are looking at practical things.
I have found a very intersting document:
google for
"the invisible tools of a timber framer - A survey of principles, situations and procedures for marking GUPEA".
It practically adresses marking procedures (from various countries) for timber which is not S4S. ( bowed, cupped, twisted and with not perfectly square section). It would of course also work with S4S.
GUPEA has other interesting document, some of them in Swedish language [which unfortunately I don't understand. Altough my former colleagues of Northen countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland + Finland), were speaking togheter, each in they own language (Swedish being used by the Finnish colleague), without problem apparently.]
In secondary school, about 55 years ago, I very much enjoyed "descriptive geometry" (~ stereotomy). I guess it is now a specialty course due to the concurrence of CAD software.
Hi Sylvain
DeleteThanks for the nice comment.
I just tried to look at the thesis, but a file that size I can't download on the ships Internet system, so I'll take your word for the content of it.
I think that Danish universities faculties are mostly theoretical, with a few exceptions. Forestry management for instance is a university degree, and they have part of their curriculum as hands on with forestry tools like chain saws etc.
If you want to become a structural engineer, in Denmark that is not the university, but instead something called the "engineering high school" (directly translated).
I think it is due to traditions that it isn't part of a university.
How much hands on they do - I have no idea.
Brgds Jonas
Many High education schools are now integrated in the high education system at the same level as Universities since the EU "Bologna process".
ReplyDeletesee https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolognaprocessen
My "école polytechnique" has been part of a university from the start in1873. The idea was that It is applied science like medicine.
I think the biggest change that the Bologna process meant in Denmark was the international recognition of the various educations, but still a lot of the education facilities are not under a university.
DeleteWe have 3 real universities in Denmark, Aarhus, Odense and Copenhagen. In addition to that, there is something called university centers which have got the same competences as regular universities but differ in the form and substance. (At least that is how the definition is).
At the moment the trend seems to be that many educational facilities broaden out geographical wise, but retain the original facility as sort of a hub where the administration sits. That way you don't need for instance payroll people in each of the satellite facilities.