Twenty-four trainees have newly graduated from the £1.7m Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme, a pioneering work-placement programme that started four years ago to help address the skills shortage currently being encountered in the heritage sector.

The Scheme is largely funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (£1.4m) and being run in partnership with English Heritage, The National Trust, Cadw, ConstructionSkills and the National Heritage Training Group (NHTG).

At the graduation ceremony held recently at Kenwood House, London, Baroness Andrews, Chair of English Heritage, commended the partner organisations for delivering such a large and complex training scheme and in creating an encompassing partnership that includes trade federations, contractors, historic building owners and other national and regional heritage organisations that leaves an extensive legacy.

She said: "These collective and resourceful ways of working bring greater capacity during these challenging times and will resonate beyond into future initiatives."

Brian Gardner who completed a 6-month solid lime plastering placement with Bill Sargent and G. Cooks & Sons said: "This has been a life-changing experience and I want to keep working on older buildings" Through this placement, Brian has gained his Heritage Skills NVQ, expanding on his 30 years experience as a modern plasterer and is now taking on more jobs using traditional lime plaster.

-- Advertisement --

John Guest of Oxford Lime Mortars Ltd who hosted a placement for Trainee Oskar Newadzi whom he now employs, said: "Working with the Scheme has helped my business select, recruit and support a trainee who I can invest time and effort in, which has in turn helped develop them and my company".

Alice Midmore, another trainee, has continued to develop her carpentry and joinery skills with two organisations - Handspring Designs in Sheffield and Felin Uchaf, a sustainable and traditional building trust on the Lleyn Pennisula. Alice said: "This has given me training opportunities I wouldn't normally have got. It's given me the time to build up my skills and experience on a variety of projects" Alice has gained her Heritage Skills NVQ and is continuing to work on traditional buildings

Since its inception, the Scheme has provided work-based placements for 138 individuals and has an excellent track record of Trainees entering into employment in the built heritage sector. It also promoted and increased the diversity of Trainees and that over half of them have achieved their ConstructionSkills Certification Scheme Heritage Skills Card (CSCSHS).

Clara Willett, Bursary Scheme Manager, commented: "We are now seeing the success of the Scheme through the achievements of the Trainees. Not only are they gaining excellent work experience, but over 75% of them carry on working in the heritage sector and over half of them have gained their Heritage Skills NVQ. This is great news for these individuals and the sector."

The Bursary Scheme is in its final year and will be replaced by the new Skills for the Future scheme, lead by the National Heritage Training Group.

Traditionally built and heritage (pre-1919) buildings in England comprise one-fifth of the total building stock.

(MM/GK)