This might be a long shot but it never hurts to ask but
does anyone know of any pipe makers in the UK or Ireland that would/are taking on a apprentice or would be willing to teach?
I know my best bet would be just to email them all and ask but just wondering, as i have no idea how to go about this, if anyone knows.
Thank you in advance for any responce
Jordan
Why are you limiting yourself to UK and Ireland? There are many fine pipemakers in the US and a handful also in Canada.
Maybe he just wants to go there..?
Getting a work permit for Ireland can be tough - even if you’re working for no pay (as apprentices often do).
I’d be more concerned with the gardai on duty at the immigration desks in the airports (who have coined the phrase “Is that your bag?”) rather than the boys on the beat (who are known for the unforgettable “Is this your car?”)
Anyway, this is getting away from the question posted.
I have just graduated (about 4 days ago) from Uni
Figured that i want to go to Europe and there is a SWAP program where i can get a work Visa for the UK for 2 years and Ireland for a year.
My Dagree is not something that really puts me into a workplace and since i am at a point in my life i have nothing holding me back why not?
Never hurts to try
P.S. I dont want to stay in Canada right now
and No offence but i dont want to go the the United States
You can also use the Working Holiday Visa to go to Australia and New Zealand for 1 year each and Japan (don’t know how long). Good luck with your plans and enjoy the travelling. If you can’t get work as an apprentice, you should go anyway, work at whatever you can find and enjoy the hell out of Ireland.
lol i will
I have a one way ticket to London for Sept 21,
There are a couple of makers near London - Pat Stones to the North and Chris Bayley to the South. I don’t know about Pat but Chris is quite happy for people to call (by appointment) and have a reed making lesson and will show you how he makes his pipes. Not certain who taught Chris - he was an engineer originally but would guess he went round a few makers gathering information and techniques.
Alan Ginsberg (Wales) went over to Matt Kiernan at weekends and Marcus Coulter (Birmingham) worked with Dave Williams for while. Not many makers take on apprentices here as the UK laws would mean they would have to make their workshops “safe” so you will probably have to follow the above and visit as many as will let you, watch, make notes, take photos, offer to help out.
If you do you by chance stay in Canada, or do not find what your looking for in the UK or Ireland, you could try looking up Joe Kennedy he lives near Fergus,ON but may be moving over to the Emerald Isle in Armagh.
He makes beautiful pipes, and is quite the mechanic also.. 
At the CLW 05 he let me strap-on a C sharp set he made out of apple-wood which sounded beautiful..
Anyways, good luck on whatever decision you make
upiper71
Unfortunately for me, Joe does not really live near Fergus. It’s about an hour south of here.
Plus, he is possibly off to Ireland in the next year, so don’t count on it!
One never knows the future, so I guess we’ll wait and see if he does move on…