The selection and training of apprentices is a major priority. We have rejected the option of a formal training ’school’, and new apprentices learn on-the-job, on real building sites, under the supervision of experienced VN builders. So every building site becomes a training site.

At the end of the training period (3 -12 months depending on prior skills and motivation), the VN builders are helped by the Association to become independent entrepreneurs, seeking out their own clients. They then have total control over their own budgets and building schedules, with the Association’s role becoming one of monitoring, quality control, and support.

In 2007-08, the AVN organised three well attended congresses of VN builders in Boromo (in June and October ’07, and June ’08), where experiences were exchanged, apprentice selection and training discussed, and plans laid for the next building season (see slide show of photos by Chiara Ricotti below)

In the last few years, the rising demand from potential clients has out-stripped the number of trained VN builders available, and the speed at which new apprentices can be selected and trained has become a major brake on expansion of the programme. We are addressing this issue through:

 giving priority in selection to people already experienced in earth brick building
 improving our information gathering and monitoring procedures, to reduce wastage or loss of trained builders
 better scheduling of rural building sites, depending on the type of client, local variations in water resources, and agricultural demands on builders’ time, so as to lengthen the building season and the number of months available for training
 persuading VN entrepreneurs that it is in their interest to train more apprentices, who can eventually become employees (e.g. site foremen)
 providing training modules (management, accounting, cost estimating, working from plans etc.) to help develop VN builders’ entrepreneurial skills, and their own abilities as trainers
 the selection of partners and clients who can provide optimal training environments on their building sites.