How much do the craftsmen earn?The survey showed that people have distorted ideas

Three to one - that's how 44 percent of respondents in the survey, conducted by the Ipsos agency for the project Fandíme želmenu, estimated the ratio of earnings of an IT expert and a craftsman. It is covered by the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises and Tradesmen of the Czech Republic (AMSP ČR).

Another 29 percent of the respondents were more cautious, according to them it is 3:2. Two out of ten opted for the option "both earn the same", only the remaining eight percent admitted that an apprentice can earn more than a university student.

The happy painter of happy interiors

Jaroslav Vozáb from Sezemic in Pardubice knows his stuff. A graduate of a sports gymnasium and a higher vocational school of electrical engineering, he left his job as a programmer at the age of 38, that is, six years ago, to become - as he says - "a happy painter of happy interiors".

From the point of view of reason, he was said to lack nothing. "But my lifestyle didn't make sense to me. I was struggling. When I couldn't stand it any longer, I went away for a few months somewhere very far away, to New Zealand, to South America. But then the children came and escapes to distant places became more difficult. The feeling of futility grew," recalls the former programmer.

He became passionate about the craft after painting his own house. He taught himself using textbooks for painting schools. He trained on solid rock boards and jobs for acquaintances. In addition, he completed various courses and training from paint manufacturers.

As a craftsman, he earns three times more

He quickly gained a reputation for not being afraid of more demanding techniques, for example, he can handle the so-called Venetian stucco, which is why his customers are willing to wait even more than a quarter of a year for it to be painted after order.

"As far as the financial side is concerned, I was a little worried about that, but actually from the very beginning I was pleasantly surprised that I would earn the same, or even a little more, from painting," admits Jaroslav Vozáb.

"Over time, as I started to get the job done faster and more efficiently and gained more confidence, it changed to the current state where I usually earn once as much, and when the 'good' jobs come together, even three times as much as programmer. So, for example, I can be at home with the children during all the holidays and it doesn't matter that I don't have any income during that time," he adds.

"It is not unusual for a person to become a craftsman only after he has achieved success in another field, but his work it didn't bring enough satisfaction," project manager Josef Jaroš, majority owner of the Czech consulting group Apogeo, points out to a by no means unique phenomenon.

Those who decided on a trade right after primary school, of course, have a head start. This is how Roman Pommer, president of the Tilers' Guild of the Czech Republic, who is involved in the Fandíme želmenu project along with other craft associations, evaluates their income possibilities: "If a craftsman who is over thirty does not invoice at least 80,000 crowns a month, or cannot be paid the same amount for his work invoice the employer, something is wrong somewhere."

Pommer explains that it is necessary to gain experience after the apprenticeship, but if young craftsmen decide on the difficult path of "self-employed persons", i.e. entrepreneurs, they should also buy professional equipment with the money they earn. That costs something. However, according to him, it will naturally affect earnings. Even after paying all the mandatory contributions – i.e. social and health insurance and, of course, after taxation – they are well above average.

"Professional craft guilds were, are and will be the best guarantee of the quality of the work of craftsmen. Becoming their member is not entirely self-evident, applicants go through a background check, where they must prove their professional education, experience and reputation. For the customer, these people are a much higher guarantee of high-quality and safely performed work," emphasizes Eva Svobodová, director of AMSP CR.