Young people entering the workforce are increasingly choosing traditional heritage crafts, such as bookbinding and metalwork, as entry-level white-collar jobs across various sectors face disruption from AI. Budding accountants, software engineers, and junior lawyers are reportedly being displaced by automation, while even creative fields are struggling against AI technology.
Eryn Lawley, a 27-year-old politics graduate, is now a second-year bookbinder apprentice at Ludlow Bookbinders in Shropshire. She stated that future-proofing her career involved moving away from the digital world, valuing the tangible nature of handcrafted items.
Paul Kidson, CEO of Ludlow Bookbinders, noted an influx of interest from young people, which he described as a lifeline for the shrinking industry. He estimates there are now fewer than 50 handcraft-operating bookbinders in Britain.
Similarly, Cox London, a design house specialising in artistic metalwork, received over 160 applications for two apprenticeship places this year. The National Theatre in London also offers technical apprenticeships in areas like wig-making and prop-making, with Kath Geraghty, head of technical qualifications, highlighting the need to address skill gaps as these crafts decline.
However, the National Theatre is also contending with a large volume of AI-generated applications for its apprenticeship programme, with one recent role receiving 728 applications.