APPRENTICESHIP AS A FELTMAKER

Is it really possible? Yes, it is.

In any case, Astrid and Kamilla started at Filtværket on 1st September in a three-year apprenticeship as FELTMAKER. The Stockholm Academy of Crafts is the formal educational institution to which they are affiliated, and I am their teacher.

At the Academy of Crafts, education is offered in a wide range of crafts, with a special focus on old crafts. Just look here

About the education it says:

Our modern apprenticeship programs meet the needs for a contemporary, workplace-based vocational education that meets what both the industry and students are demanding; solid practical business skills, combined with knowledge of how to start and run a business.

It is called 'LIA - learning at work', which means that the apprentice must be assigned to an apprenticeship for the entire course, and this apprenticeship could fortunately be located in Denmark. Four days a week they are therefore at the apprenticeship in a course that we organize, and on the last day theory and online teaching are common to all apprentices regardless of craft, and the school is responsible for this. In addition, there are visits from the school every semester, also in Odense.

What is really special is that the education is eligible for SU, so the educational institution does not have to pay student salaries. In addition, the educational institution receives a fee for teaching. This is fantastic and a prerequisite for a craft education like this to be possible, with us and certainly with many other small craft companies.

Everyone, including young Danish people, can apply if they can find an apprenticeship within the craft they want - and if they can understand and participate in teaching in Swedish.

Astrid and Kamilla have just completed a bachelor's degree in textile design at the Textilhögskolan in Borås, Sweden. They both wanted to learn to felt, and their education did not allow them to learn the craft of 'felting'. During their Bachelor's project, they needed some felting advice, and so they visited Line and me at Fårfesten in Kil, Sweden in February 2025. Here, they happened to hear the education mentioned in a lecture, which was actually about something else. They immediately came to us with the new knowledge, and from there it went on with applications and agreements.

We are really looking forward to the collaboration in the coming years, or rather we are already really happy to be part of the exciting and inspiring process together with our two apprentices. WELCOME!!