Shoemaker's assistants?

[Nevthedigger]

Looking at the 1841 census, am I right in assuming that the two boys here were 'shoemaker's assistants'?

[ShaunJ]

I'd go for apprentices rather than assistants.

[stanmapstone]

Shoemakers Apprentice. (Ap)

Stan

[horselydown86]

It looks very like Ass to me.  With a long-s, of course.

[philipsearching]

Shoemakers Apprentice. (Ap)

Stan

It looks very like Ass to me.  With a long-s, of course.

Shoem (Shoemaker) is definite, but it could be either Ass or Ap.  To be sure, you would need to compare letters elsewhere on the same page.

Philip

[stanmapstone]

These are the official abbreviations used in the censuses


Ag. Lab. 1841-81 Agricultural labourer
Ap. 1841-61 Apprentice
Army 1841 Members of HM land forces of whatever rank
Cl. 1841-61 Clerk
FS. 1841 Female servant
H.P. 1841 Members of HM armed forces on half-pay
Ind. 1841 Independent - people living on their own means
J. 1841 Journeyman
M. 1841 Manufacturer
m. 1841 Maker - as in 'Shoe m.'
MS 1841 Male servant
Navy 1841 Members of HM naval forces, including marines,
of whatever rank
P. 1841 Pensioners in HM armed forces
Rail Lab. 1851 Railway labourer
Serv. 1861 Servant
Sh. 1841 Shopman

Stan

[Maiden Stone]

Apprentice. If they had completed their apprenticeships they would have been shoemaker journeymen, working for a wage. It would have been shown as "Shoemaker J." on census.
 Take into account their ages. Recorded age of both was 15. Ages of people 15 and over on 1841 census were supposed to be rounded down to a multiple of 5. George and Joseph were aged between 15 and 19 at the time of the census. As teenagers they were likely to be apprentices.
Ancestor of mine was a shoemaker journeyman on 1841 census. His age was recorded as 20 on that census (so aged 20-24) and 33 on 1851 census. 

[Maiden Stone]

Shoemaker career structure was apprentice, journeyman, master. A journeyman worked for a wage. Some journeymen progressed to become master shoemakers.
Shoemaking changed from small workshops to factories from mid 19th century.
My ancestor was active in the shoemakers' union. His and his colleagues' activities were documented.

[Nevthedigger]

Brilliant answers, many thanks everyone, you never fail to amaze me 

It seems that 'apprentice' would be the correct answer so I'll put that in my research. Living at the same place was also a 'FS' (female servant) as well as a 'fancy weaver' who would have worked with worsted and created fancy patterns on his cloth. Quite a hive of activity!