The next step for "fairly young" carpenter OR "How to be a craftsman in the 20th Century"

[T]

Hello, all. (Inexcusable, I know, but forgive the cross-posts. Shoot, tell
me if I've erred)

I am a 24 year old carpenter in Georgia, USA. I have involved myself in as
many aspects of construction as possible over the past 10 years, and am
quite competent in the tasks which I encounter daily. I currently work as
the sole carpenter building houses with a (kinda-new-to-it) builder and one
laborer. We build from the ground-up ourselves, excepting masonry, plumbing,
HVAC, and electrical. With this builder, several remodels, also.

I've worked in residential and commercial, new and remodeling, with several
employers, in several capacities. Frame, form, finish, cornice, roofing,
and all the other skills one tries to pick up. The issue I've faced for a
while now is my dissatisfaction with the type of construction that I am
involved in. Virtually everything in this area is "quick-as-possible" spec
houses or so-called "custom remodeling," which usually means giving the
client a choice of white or off-white paint, if you know what I mean.

In everything I do, I strive to do the best I can ... in spite of the
pressure for speed & quantity. From this effort, I achieve _some_ level of
satisfaction & pride. However, the products I look back on do not reflect
what I wish to do for the rest of my life.

I am looking to break out of the role of "profit provider" and into a more
crafts(person?) area. I would like to be involved with custom remodeling and
building, with emphasis on: traditional building methods, historic
preservation & emulation, environmentally sound and energy efficient
products, and consideration of alternative building materials & methods
where applicable.

I know this is probably what _everyone_ would like to achieve. But, at
least, I am aware of where I eventually want to be.

Can anyone provide information or recommendations on apprenticeship
programs, secondary or vocational education, specialty training, or other
steps to lead me in the right direction? Some way to expand my carpentry
skills and immerse myself in areas closer to the above stated subjects?
Geographic location is of no consequence -- I have searched here to no
avail, and think the Northeast US, or Canada, or Pacific, or elsewhere would
be a better place to further my skills and future. I know degrees of
excellence are visible all over, so the area is less important than the
content. I do not intend to insult _any_ areas; however, for me, I have
found nothing in my area exhibiting the potential for which I am searching.

Forgive the long post, but I wanted to relay the necessary background
information behind my request. Feel free to e-mail me with details or other
information inappropriate for posting here.

Thanks in advance -
- T

ICQ 14316828
remove the obvious to email

[John Leeke]

T:

Consider my assistantship/internship program. See full details at

www.HistoricHomeWorks.com

John Leeke, Preservation Consultant
26 Higgins St., Portland, ME 04103, USA
207 773-2306
Old-House Journal, Contributing Editor
Practical Restoration Reports, Publisher
www.HistoricHomeWorks.com