Lack of skills threatens heritage

Thursday, 9 June 2005 12:00 AM

A lack of skilled craftsmen is jeopardising the future of the UK's historic buildings, according to a new report from English Heritage.

The conservation body and the industry group ConstructionSkills estimate that there are currently around 86,000 people employed protecting the nation's buildings.

An extra 6,500 workers are expected to be needed over the next year, but there are unfilled vacancies in a quarter of firms involved in the £3.5 billion industry.

Britain is the home to 4.4 million historic dwellings and over half a million historic commercial buildings, which all need specialist care to preserve them for future generations.

Key skill gaps are in speciality bricklaying, carpenters and roofers.

The report found that there is the possibility that crafts such as drystone walling, thatching, millwrighting, earth walling and flint-knapping could all be lost to the nation.

It is hoped that new qualifications could be developed to ensure knowledge of traditional crafts and funding could be found for heritage conservation apprenticeships.

The campaign also aims to raise the profile of vocational training in the heritage sector and attract more young people to a growing area of construction that is not set to die out.

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