Posted by Daryl Hickman on July 31, 2000 at 21:20:57:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Tuba Repair. posted by Anthony (new Q) on July 31, 2000 at 18:52:55:
Apprenticeship is an option. It is the way that I learned. There are a few drawbacks, though. Most importantly, you are likely to be working on customer's instruments. If you screw up, you pay up. Most seasoned technicians work on commission. If you are constantly disrupting them, they aren't making money. Generally, you'll get one point of view or method of making a repair. At the college, we try to bring in guest instructors to give the students multiple points of view. Students are placed in area repair shops as often as possible and they are encouraged to work in shops after school and during breaks.
I wouldn't recommend opening your own business after eleven months of training. The majority of students are still honing (no pun intended) their skills. Working in a shop with two or more technicians will assist the apprentice tech in gaining more skills - again, more options on the same repair.
In my opinion, one of the pressing needs of our industry is standards. There are no recognized standards for being a technician. Anyone can open a shop and designate themselves as knowledgable in the field of repair. One of the funny things is the titles people give themselves. My favorite is that of "Master Technician." As a long time repair tech said to me the other day: "The most important qualification to become a Master Technician is that you have to be dead." There is some talk of creating standards similar to those of the automotive industry (ASE). Unfortunately, it would be nearly impossible to organize, implement and administer these standards. Most technicians are resistant to change. Their motto: "Musical instrument repair - 1000 years of service unhampered by technology or progress." Anyway, consider your options. There are plenty of positions available in the industry. Current pay for our recent graduates is $10.00 to $20.00 per hour. Take care, Daryl