[Jewelry making - Article 00182] - [Orchid] Thank you Orchid & Wayne Emery for my apprenticeship

[Daniel Hamilton]

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    I want to thank Wayne Emery, and Orchid forum for helping me in my
    search for an apprenticeship with an honest, caring, friendly and
    knowledgeable jeweler. 

    When Voc Rehab suggested trying an apprenticeship again, I was
    hesitant. There has been a few times in the past when someone offers
    to help me, but ended in not really learning the trade, unless I
    wanted to enter the trade of roof repair or Ebay sales. 

    But I hit the bricks anyway and started to inquire locally. Not much
    luck, but one person said they would do it, but he wanted $10
    dollars and hour and would only let me watch him work for a couple
    hours a week as long as I didn't bother him!! If I had that kind of
    funding, I would go to a jewelry school. That is when I posted here
    on Orchid, and Wayne suggested a friend of his, J. Bennett, a custom
    jeweler and really great person. http://www.jbennettjewelry.com. 

    I realize it's a large risk for a jeweler to take on a new person.
    Not just the risk of possible theft, but the time and effort to train
    them, not to mention the annoyance time of an apprentice or possible
    bad interaction with other employees and customers. Then there is my
    past experience with a few who offered to help in the past. Was I to
    be used as another handy man, and what if anything would I loose this
    time? 

    I have to say, that after my first weeks apprenticeship, I still
    worry that I will mess things up, but I don't worry about being used
    or anything else happening again like in the past. This is a person
    who not only cares about people, he is a very detail oriented
    craftsman. I don't think I will ever hear anyone at his shop say "
    that's good enough". In his shop its either perfect, or its done
    over! I love that kind of atmosphere. And everyone there is very
    open and willing to teach me. My bench was set up right next to his
    master jeweler, who is training me and she includes me in every step
    of everything she is doing. Im never chased away because they anyone
    is busy. Im included, and that is more than I could have wished for.
    They will be teaching me everything they can, including how to use
    Matrix software and his Gem-vision mill. Joel even said if I do
    well, after a one year apprenticeship I might be hired and sent to
    Blaine Lewis for the Gemstone setting classes! I couldn't ask for a
    more fantastic place, or more enthusiastic and caring group of people
    to learn from. Heck, he even buys everyone's lunch and supplies the
    coffee every single day! Now its just up to me to make sure I don't
    mess this up, because I think it will be very difficult to find
    another place like J. Bennett. I couldn't have prayed or wished for
    a better place to apprentice at, and I definitely never expected it
    to find me! There is hope once again that I can enter the work force
    and be a much better father to my daughters. My daughters and I would
    like to thank all of you. Thank you Orchid & Wayne Emery for helping
    in my apprenticeship, and thank you Joel Ragan for allowing me to
    learn from you and your staff. I hope I can make you all proud. 

Daniel Hamilton
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