The government wants to give you a job. In a bid to compete with global players, the UK’s strategy has emphasised certain professions over others, particularly those in maths, tech and finance. Whether encouraging workers in the arts to retrain in cyber, or Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledge to cap the number of “low-value” degrees, the government’s aim seems clear: get out of the arts and into the office.
Roughly one-third of us are unhappy with our jobs, according to data from job site Indeed. Mix that with a desire for slower, more traditional ways of living and you wonder if some of us would prefer our next job to be low-tech rather than high-tech.
So if you’ve always dreamed of making bespoke clogs, learning the art of traditional signwriting, or think you have the patience to train as a watchmaker, our traditional tradespeople are here to offer you their hard-earned advice.
SIMON BROCK
Clog maker & leatherworker
SHEFFIELD
Clogs are a lot more comfortable than you might think, given that your foot is resting on a piece of wood. The top surface of the sole is hand-carved to match the contours of the foot, so it’s ergonomic. Sometimes I’m asked to do custom carving for people with complex orthopaedic needs.
