Apprenticeships within the thatching industry are in constant demand, frequently under the delusion that a great deal of money may be earned and the lure of an idyllic lifestyle, If you are interested a few points to bear in mind.

A training course does exist but only for trainees who have found a thatcher to train them properly. These courses are run by the Countryside Agency. You must find a thatcher prepared to take you as a trainee and usually complete 12 months with him before  being considered.

I have written this because of constant requests for training. There is only one way to learn and that is from a properly structured apprenticeship with a master thatcher. Even then check the expertise of your trainer. You must find one prepared to take you on as a trainee. There is no “fast track” do not waste money on instant thatcher training courses that occasionally are mentioned on the internet.  Some of the skills required take a long time to perfect. If you decide to give it a try without the necessary skills or knowledge required you stand a good chance of being sued by your future clients and I will be delighted to assist them. Thatching is not a get rich quick opportunity.

 It will take at least four years training before you will be competent enough to be able to thatch a roof  on your own. You can expect no more than £20,000 a year at best at this point. By then the skin on your hands may be tough enough to cope. One customer not paying can wipe you out.

 Training costs the trainer a great deal to do properly, wages while training would be no better than basic agricultural rate. £5.60 an hour. This is not mean, it is a fact of life. £160 a week costs the master man at least £11,000 a year, this on top of the time he spends training you in the first 24 months and wasted materials, rough estimate £35,000 before you are able to do enough work to contribute to his costs. An expensive mistake for both parties.

Conditions can be appalling, the idyllic summers day may seem attractive – but in the UK ? even on the rare summers day the heat can be intense, even to the point of burning hands on tools. Then consider the bad weather – even if you are able to work in the wind, rain or frost, clothes frequently remain constantly wet. Although not outrageously physically challenging, it is hard and dirty work. In bad weather you will be unable to do any work at all. 

 Competition – most Thatchers are odd characters - I make no excuses I am odd myself, they do the job because it is more of a way of life than a career, it attracts dropouts from all sorts of callings. money is secondary to them. Unless you are prepared for 7 day weeks and 12 hour days forget it.

 Now consider the legal and health and safety aspects, the same for any small building business but very involved. Most importantly thatching is a complex industry, the depth of knowledge required to be competent is frightening, read all the items on this site – could you cope? 

 Remember I am semi retired, I am not trying to put anyone off, I have no vested interest in doing so. 

Last of all even people who start correctly only one in five seem to make it after training – ask yourself why.

After saying all that for £140 there is a one day course available - and no, I have no connections with this, it will not make you a thatcher however http://www.brookes.ac.uk/schools/be/planning/shortcourses/media/Thatching_in_practice_web.pdf!

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