Training in manual and craft trades: learn by doing alongside professionals!

Immersion training with working craftsmen and farmers represents a unique opportunity to learn in a concrete and immersive way. The advantages of this educational approach are numerous: it combines practical application with theory for better assimilation, favors exchanges with experienced professionals, and finally, it is a very enriching human experience.

It is by practicing that we become autonomous.

Just look at children: there’s nothing like getting your hands dirty, trying, failing, and trying again to acquire skills.

Many project leaders learn better by combining the practice of gesture and theory: and this is even more true for truly mastering a manual profession: theory is an excellent starting point, but nothing beats the actual practice of the profession, repeatedly performing the gesture. Learning by doing, but also learning by watching the professional do it and imitating him, are recognized learning methods. The acquisition of the skills necessary for the profession is faster and more effective by alternating theory and practical application: the practical application allows the brain to integrate theoretical concepts more easily (hand-brain link).

Learning through immersion with artisans, artists or peasant farmers allows learners to touch, feel the material and understand the nuances and subtleties of the craft. By working alongside seasoned professionals, learners acquire practical skills, develop their dexterity and perfect their technique.

Being immersed in the desired universe

The best way to learn a language is to live in a country where it is spoken daily. For manual and traditional skills, it’s a bit the same thing.

Unlike traditional classrooms or online courses/tutorials, immersion training with working artisans and farmers offers an environment free of distractions. Learners find themselves fully immersed in the world of the desired profession, where every moment of the training is dedicated to learning and absorbing knowledge, but also to understanding the world in which the artisan works.

Even informal moments such as breaks and meals, for example, are shared with other participants and the professional trainer. This encourages discussions about each person’s projects and the discovery of the professional environment. This unparalleled concentration promotes faster and more in-depth assimilation of knowledge.

Learn from the mistakes of others

Interacting with professionals who are experienced in their field allows learners to benefit from a real treasure: their experience. These seasoned artisans, artists, and peasant farmers have often spent decades perfecting their expertise. They are eager to share their know-how and anecdotes with those who show interest in their know-how. This dialogue between (future) peers enriches the learning. It also brings unique perspectives by transmitting non-formal (unwritten) skills. The trainers who welcome the participants often demonstrate unparalleled transparency: sharing good advice, but also warning about the obstacles they have faced – and overcome.

A friendly and sharing moment

In addition to theoretical and technical skills, training with working craftsmen, artists or farmers offers an invaluable human experience. Being physically present with other participants sharing similar and/or complementary projects and caring trainers creates lasting bonds. These relationships foster potential future collaborations and support the development of professional or personal projects in the field of manual and ecological know-how. The social aspect of this type of training nourishes self-confidence and allows one to mature one’s project thanks to constructive feedback and the dynamics and encouragement of the group.

Immersion training: a winning cocktail for project leaders

For a project leader in reconversion or diversification, training in manual trades through immersion with active artisans and farmers offers a unique opportunity to learn virtually, without distraction. It allows you to establish strong links with experienced professionals who are happy to pass on their know-how.

This enriching and human approach stimulates learners’ passion and effectively prepares them to launch themselves into the world of the local and ecological economy, in craft, artistic or agricultural professions with high environmental value.