Tool-box

Initially, young apprentices and practitioners undertook their learning in workshop groups and other sectors, under the observation of more experienced staff. From the 1920s onwards, the workshop industrial organisation underwent profound changes, making it necessary to prepare and qualify workers. Since the 1930s, the Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (CP) was aware of this need, thus creating infrastructure and developing training programmes to meet their needs, with the aim of preparing qualified workers in a short period of time. In this way, it promoted the creation of training schools at the three large workshop groups, the so-called Schools of Apprentices, in Barreiro, Entroncamento and Campanhã. This toolbox was kindly donated by the Entroncamento group of Apprentices in 1966 and was only for training exercises. Throughout their training, apprentices built their own set of tools for future professional use.