Gunsmith Apprenticing

[asmurff]

In another forum I frequent (CTD) there is a 15 year old guy who wants to know about apprenticing with a gunsmith in the Mass/NE area. He wants to find out if it is something he'd like before he invest in a formal education, such as the school in Colorado. Any ideas of these type of opportunities in his area you New Englanders?

[edgecrusher]

will ask around, wmass area.

[Dusty44]

One of the things to look at would be the unintended consequences.

In about 1990 I attended a commercial school to obtain an aircraft mechanic license,  an Airframe & Powerplant license issued by the FAA.  It was a major effort at changing career paths.  Times were about as bad in the early 1990's as now.  The unintended consequences of the A&P for me was qualification for employment maintaining industrial machinery,  something I had not known about or intended,  but a thing that worked out better than a career in aviation would have (looking in the rearview mirror). 

I can only suggest that the person thinking about gunsmithing,  considering a major and respected school,  should look at the employment possibilities and career development paths  within that career field carefully and also try to 'think outside the box' and pay some attention to what other doors might open as a result.

None of us likes 'Change' very much.  Being aware and accepting that major change and relocation may be needed along the path of life for one's own benefit will help.  (Going to a school in a faraway place is a major potential game-changer all by itself.  Aside from job offers after completing the school,  he might meet a girl and end up in a place he cannot now even believe exists!)