The article describes the place and role of handicraft education and craft occupations in the contemporary society. Adaptation of European model of artisan education to conditions of north region of Russia is shown. Accumulated in Russia in recent years, German experience of ex-perimental personnel training for small artisan companies is analyzed, as well as peculiarities of its usage in north regions of the country. The main idea is that soviet, and then russian system of pro-fessional education trained personnel predominantly for large-scale industry, while there was not purposeful personnel’s training for small companies. That is why today the whole economic sector uses the personnel, which does not meet the qualification requirements. Given results and conclu-sions influence the development strategy of professional education of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug system of professional education.