HERIAN News

The Heritage Lottery Fund is providing funding to a partnership of English Heritage, The National Trust, Cadw, ConstructionSkills and the National Heritage Training Group to establish and deliver £1 million Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme.

The aims of the scheme are to address some of the currently recognised skills shortages and gaps within the traditional crafts and built heritage sector; to build diversity in the workforce; and to encourage applications from people who are currently under represented in the workforce through the provision of bursary places throughout England and Wales.

Funding will be available to help craftspeople, trainees and career changers qualified to NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent) and above gain valuable work-based training, develop existing skills or improve their knowledge and experience of conservation and repair of historic buildings, structures or sites. Building skills include:

blacksmithing	ironwork
brick masonry	lime mortar
carpentry and joinery	lime plaster
electrical and plumbing	painting and decorating
dry stone walling	stone conservation
earth building	roofing
fibrous plastering	wheelwrighting
flint working

The scheme will fund approximately 80 variable length work-placements and will be offered at a range of public and private providers, including specific heritage sites and / or workshops. Bursary holders will be supervised by experienced craftspeople, however training received under the scheme will not replace training that can be gained at a college.

Placements are now available and the scheme will run until 2010. The Scheme's website (www.buildingbursaries.org.uk) has further details.