does anyone know anything about apprenticeships?

K

kimalee

Member
Jul 30, 2007
17,664
26
#1
Hi there, I've been emailing with Hermes back and forth now for a couple of weeks; I asked about apprenticeships and how people get started in actually making products (not just retail), and I keep getting bumped to different offices. (They've been excellent about answering my questions, by the way.) Anyway, the last email I received included the phone number for an office in Paris; I called, but didn't exactly get any answers as they only spoke French and they don't have an email address. Does anyone have any knowledge about this? I would appreciate any help you could give me...thanks so much!
 
#2
Hmmm, if memory serves, they begin training usually straight out of high school. They go into a school that teaches the leather craft and the best are recruited to work for Hermes. I was told Claude, the craftsman at the NYC store has been with the company since he was 17.
 
#3
hermesgroupie said:
Hmmm, if memory serves, they begin training usually straight out of high school. They go into a school that teaches the leather craft and the best are recruited to work for Hermes. I was told Claude, the craftsman at the NYC store has been with the company since he was 17.
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Fascinating! Great thread. Would love to hear and learn more.
 
#4
hermesgroupie said:
Hmmm, if memory serves, they begin training usually straight out of high school. They go into a school that teaches the leather craft and the best are recruited to work for Hermes. I was told Claude, the craftsman at the NYC store has been with the company since he was 17.
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That was my impression as well. There's a woman who used to work for Hermes and left to open her own boutique. You can read her bio here: http://aprilinparis.us/beatrice

It seems as if you need to go through a training school before you can start apprenticing at Hermes. Unfortunately there is no such school in the US that I'm aware of.
 
#5
^^^You're right, so kimalee, you would have to move to France to get any chance of working for the company as a craftsman. However, a woman I know once got invited to a little workshop held by an Hermes craftsman. The clients each were taught how to do a saddle stitch and each client got to make their own credit card holder and bring it home. So maybe, if you don't get a chance to enter the school, this would be close enough?
 
#7
hermesgroupie said:
Hmmm, if memory serves, they begin training usually straight out of high school. They go into a school that teaches the leather craft and the best are recruited to work for Hermes. I was told Claude, the craftsman at the NYC store has been with the company since he was 17.
Click to expand...

Does anyone think this is at all a possibility? I'm currently a college student, but I'm totally willing to move to France, work without pay, anything...this is like my biggest dream!
 
#8
^^^I would tell the company this.

Hmmm, how about contacting that craftsman that dc120 mentioned in her post? Perhaps, she can give you insight into the whole apprentice process and possibly put in a good word for you. Plus, she speaks English and can translate.
 
#9
hermesgroupie said:
^^^I would tell the company this.

Hmmm, how about contacting that craftsman that dc120 mentioned in her post? Perhaps, she can give you insight into the whole apprentice process and possibly put in a good word for you. Plus, she speaks English and can translate.
Click to expand...

Yea, I'll definitely do that! Thank you guys SO much! I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your help!
 
#11
Just FYI-- Hermes also refers to all internships as "apprenticeships," a girl I knew who worked in on the business side on the summer was also an apprentice, so be sure to make clear what your interests are.
 
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