train as (a) plumber - we do need the article here, don't we?

[White Hat]

Dear forumers!

The other day I came across the following sentence:

He attends boxing training and in September goes to college to train as plumber or mechanic.

It appears in an article by Stuart Jeffries (The Guardian, Tuesday 28 May 2013).

I'm wondering whether the author is right leaving the indefinite article(s) out in that sentence. I have googled the word combination "train as" - all of the results I'm getting come with the article.

Is that a misprint or some kind of a rule? Please show me what's wrong with that usage. Thank you in advance.

 

[5jj]

It's just a slip. The article should be there.

 

[White Hat]

Thanks, 5jj. When someone asked me about it, at first I kinda agreed it's wrong. But then, keeping in mind the origins of the source, I decided to find something to justify the usage. The only thing I could think of was something like this:

I wish to apply for the position of paraplanner at your company, as advertised in seek.com.au.

But now I'm convinced those are two completely different things. I appreciate your help, Sir.

 

[Raymott]

I'd consider the possibility that it's a stylistic issue. I suspect that the article might not be talking about a specific person, but a type. More context would tell.

"He works as plumber and model"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Fratello_(season_9)

 

[White Hat]

Raymott, what do you personally feel about it? In Russian we "feel" the right form of a word when it comes to declension or conjugation. How does that sentence (with the article omitted) sound to your ears? Does it sound OK or like it's incomplete? Thank you.

 

[probus]

we "feel" the right form of a word

That's what it means to be a native speaker of any language. Your bones tell you in a way that years of intense study cannot.

 

[probus]

And to come back to the original question: yes we do need the indefinite article here.

 

[Raymott]

Raymott, what do you personally feel about it?

To me it sounds incomplete, and I would use the article. But I've noticed the same from good writers, so I can't say it's wrong.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's completely wrong to my ear.