Master stonemason Thomas Jornitz and his son are launching an Instagram campaign on September 1, 2021, that is set to run for three years: a “virtual apprenticeship” in the stonemasonry trade. To this end, they’ll be providing followers of the @lets.metz channel with information about the craft, videos, and assignments several times a week. Thomas Jornitz speaks with STEIN about the idea, the need to further develop the apprenticeship program, and how to expand the craft’s reach through social media.
STEIN: How did you come up with the idea of offering a virtual apprenticeship?
Thomas Jornitz: Right now, many people are saying, “Come join the trades—do an apprenticeship!” But often that’s as far as it goes, and we believe this approach to recruiting apprentices falls short in many ways. We need to reach young people where they are with a cool format. And they spend a lot of time on social media. That’s why we believe that if we put a lot of effort into the campaign and execute it well, we can generate attention. But we don’t just want to give young people a detailed look at what an apprenticeship is like; ideally, we also want to reach their social circles and interested people of all ages. Because society as a whole doesn’t value apprenticeship-based careers enough—and not just in the skilled trades. People are quick to say, “So you’re ONLY doing an apprenticeship?” That’s why we’re planning a fairly extensive campaign. We want to actively challenge the common perception that “an apprenticeship doesn’t involve much” by showing just how much knowledge is imparted during these three years of training. Our company operates in the memorial business in Thuringia and Potsdam, but for the virtual apprenticeship, we’re collaborating with wonderful colleagues who, for example, work in restoration, are stone sculptors, or specialize in kitchens.
STEIN: What exactly are you planning? Will followers be encouraged to get involved themselves?
Thomas Jornitz: Togetherwith my son, I’ll be posting content several times a week. This could include photos with information, as well as YouTube videos and Instagram Stories, exchanges with colleagues, and tasks that the community can work on if they want to. The interactive training will always be filmed in such a way that followers feel as though my son is right there beside them during the training. We also want to keep a sort of training journal. In addition, we’ll include educational content from vocational school training, such as the history of writing. We’d like to delve deeper into this because it’s important for the profession to understand why scripts—and with them, a part of culture and art—have developed the way they have. We also want to show a lot of everyday life: the often great camaraderie among stonemasons, but also when things go wrong at work. After all, the exaggerated image of the infallible craftsman might actually deter young people who, for example, would be interested in an internship. In my opinion, it’s much more important to teach how to learn from mistakes as effectively as possible. And we already have some creative ideas for how we want to illustrate aspects like moving STEINS and the various techniques that make this possible even without machines. We’d naturally be thrilled if, for example, some of our followers were apprentices who, inspired by our content, would like to get actively involved. To that end, we’ve also initiated a partnership with a tool manufacturer and are giving away an apprentice’s salary in the form of a tool voucher. Before we launch in September, there will be an application period. Anyone interested can apply for the virtual apprenticeship via Instagram.
STEIN: That sounds like a lot of work. What do you hope to achieve for your business with this?
Thomas Jornitz: It’s true thatthe campaign will be very time-consuming, but we’re not doing this primarily for our own business. Sure, it brings us attention and reach. But our motivation is our commitment to the skilled trades as a whole. After all, nearly all skilled trades businesses are looking for new talent, while at the same time, society’s appreciation for vocational training is declining. In Germany, a university degree is considered the “supreme achievement.” Not only craftspeople, but also the guilds and education policymakers have missed the boat on this. We hope that if we approach this in a fresh and, above all, positive way—breaking down the industry’s perceived aloofness and keeping the barrier to entry as low as possible for young people—we can make a difference.
STEIN: In your opinion, what needs to change in vocational training?
Thomas Jornitz: Iturgently needs to be adapted to the current times. It’s unacceptable that every carpentry apprentice works with CNC programs as early as their apprenticeship, while stonemasons are taught only basics like profile chiseling for years on end. The industry isn’t incorporating the progress of the past 20 years into its training; instead, it’s determined to uphold tradition at all costs, even though technical alternatives exist, for example. Vocational schools are making a great effort, but some of the teaching materials are outdated or very dull. And I would like to see more emphasis placed on interpersonal skills. An employee at a memorial business, for example, needs tact and sensitivity to provide respectful guidance to the bereaved. But so far, no one is taught that. And last but not least, it would be appropriate in today’s world to make it easier for career changers—such as those who want to earn a journeyman’s certificate but are already fully established in their careers and therefore need flexible training models.
