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A pioneering £4.3 million, five-year programme to help address the long-term and shortage of heritage skills in the construction industry has been announced by Historic England and The Hamish Ogston Foundation.
PCB Today reports that the grant will be the largest one-off investment ever made to heritage construction training in England, and it will find in-work heritage skills and apprenticeship scheme that aims to increase expertise in crafts such as bricklaying, carpentry and joinery, painting and decorating, plastering, roofing, and stonemasonry.
Without intervention, there are concerns that these skills could disappear forever, which would have grave consequences for pre-1919 historic buildings in England.
Apprentices will be working alongside experts from Historic England at several sites in the North of England on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register, and help make valuable contributions to the restoration of some of England’s most treasured buildings, such as the Grade I-listed Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire.
The apprenticeships will provide new pathways into heritage construction, and is open to applications from young people seeking a career in heritage construction to experienced professionals in mainstream construction looking to move to the heritage sector.
Applications for the apprenticeship opened on 30 June, and there will be 40 training opportunities over the next five years. Applicants to see the available opportunities, full details, and apply at the Historic England website, until applications close on 18 June 2021,
Historic England hopes the apprenticeships will attract a new future workforce to the heritage sector that will represent the diversity of the country.
The focus is on testing this new training model and repairing buildings at risk, allowing trainees to learn their trade while ensuring a future for some of England’s most important buildings. The long-term ambition is to expand the scheme across the country, leading to more people in rewarding and vital careers in heritage construction.
The apprentices will attend four-to-six-week summer schools at nationally significant Heritage at Risk sites such as Wentworth Woodhouse, starting in the Summer of 2022.
Hamish Ogston CBE of the Hamish Ogston Foundation said: “It gives me a huge sense of fulfilment to make this investment in a project that I am confident will make a real difference to people’s life chances, setting them on a path to sustainable, satisfying jobs.”
Duncan Wilson Chief Executive of Historic England said the organisation was delighted to be working with the foundation and said the programme will inspire others by making a huge contribution towards saving some of England’s most important historic buildings.
“As life moves closer to normality again, this is an exciting employment and heritage skills training opportunity for young people starting their careers and for professionals in the construction industry looking for a rewarding change,” he said.
Placements will be paid and each participant will have the benefit of having a mentor from within Historic England to help guide their career.
Opportunities will also be available in 2022 for nine-week placements for students on full-time construction courses, to raise awareness of heritage construction careers.
Whether you’re restoring heritage buildings or planning a new build, if you’re looking for scaffolders in Leeds, get in touch today.
