Steven Ellis Cooper is a Master of his Craft . He is a time served 5th generation Master Blacksmith who has Achieved Associate of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths But in 2012 became a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Farriers by attaining Dip WCF in 2012 having completed his second Apprenticeship. He has been in his Craft for some 42 years and has been given awards for his sculptural work and working within his Local Community.

Steve Cooper, of SE Cooper Blacksmiths, said he had to pass the five-year course to fulfil his dream of being a traditional Blacksmith

He decided to start the course in 2006 after helping our a friend who was a farrier and finding the job “fascinating”.

He said: “To get the qualification means I am a proper blacksmith. I can do everything needed of a blacksmith from shoeing a horse to making a gate.”

He said: “Five  generations before my parents and grandparents  who had been  blacksmiths, Farriers and Wheel rights and now I am carrying on the tradition.

 

What does it mean to be Qualified?

Following a 4 Year Apprenticeship from 1983 to 1987 and subsequently taking the Governing bodies set Trade tests I was deemed to be Classed as a Craftsman I then went on to do a Further year improvership with my then Current Masters who were Agricultural Blacksmiths and Engineers.

Apprenticeships are Recognised as being the best work based training where you worked in an appropriate enviroment and then spent as in my case 3 months of the year in a college enviroment.

After the 4 Years of my Apprenticeship I attained the necessary Qualifications to say that I am a Blacksmith and Engineer.
I have always tried to further my Knowledge and have recently after a further five years of training Qualified to Shoe and work with Horses to Diploma Worshipful Company Of Farriers which is recognised World wide as being the best Qualification for Shoeing Horses and Performing Farriery.

Using a person that has been trained to a standard and has attained the necessary Qualifications is the first step to getting what I think will be a first class job!

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