LONDON, ENGLAND.- A MORI poll carried out in 2002 revealed that 38% of Britain’s 24 million homeowners had difficulties in finding skilled tradespeople to carry out maintenance on their homes.

The heritage sector is facing similar labour shortage difficulties. But also the nation’s heritage is at risk from unbecoming and inappropriate repair caused by skill gaps in traditional methods and materials commonly used for building conservation.

Building On The Past: Training For The Future, the first business plan of the National Heritage Training Group covering the period 2003-2005 was launched today (29 October 2003) at the Building Crafts College in Stratford, East London in the presence of Andrew McIntosh, Minister for the Media and Heritage. This important document will shape the future work of the NHTG and its co-ordination and development of heritage craft training, reflecting a positive commitment to introduce a robust yet flexible means of reversing this labour deficit and meeting the skills needs of the future.

The historic built environment of the nation is rich and diverse, providing an important sense of national identity, contributing to our quality of life and benefiting our economy and education. Yet, historic buildings and ancient monuments are a finite resource and therefore irreplaceable.

To ensure that this important resource is not lost forever requires appropriate maintenance and the highly developed skills of craftsmen and women to implement sympathetic repairs using both traditional and new scientific methods and materials. These essential practical skills – skills which include stone masonry, fibrous plastering and lead sheet working – were previously passed down from generation to generation. But these skills are now threatened by a major decline in the numbers entering and remaining in the building conservation and repair and maintenance sector.

The National Heritage Training Group (NHTG) was established in February 2003 and comprises contractors, leading heritage bodies, trade unions and training providers from across the UK. They are working together to develop a coherent system for training and skills provision in order to meet the demands of the traditional building crafts sector.

Key Fact: one in five households live in homes that were built before 1919; people appreciate the value of the historic environment

Key Fact: 80% of a sample of employers in the construction industry expressed difficulties with recruitment and retention of workers with essential skills

One of the first tasks of the NHTG will be to commission region-by-region research to build an accurate picture of the UK’s specialist heritage skills and labour needs.

Based upon currently available information, there are fewer than 40,000 people in the United Kingdom who are skilled in the traditional building conservation crafts, yet, there are nearly 430,000 Listed Buildings in England, 1500 of which are on the English Heritage Buildings at Risk register. All that stands between the preservation of the nations built heritage and its decay is this small group of craftspeople. Yet, their number is diminishing.

It is essential that we develop a better understanding of the value of conservation, repair and maintenance to the construction industry. Only then will be able to establish firmly the value of the sector to the wider construction industry and the size of its specialist labour needs.

This business plan builds upon three essential areas for immediate action: to integrate the work of the NHTG with contractors, training funders and providers, the main clients and other key stakeholders; to carry out a detailed UK-wide survey to establish the regional and country-wide variations in skills shortages and training provision; and to develop and implement a traditional building crafts skills training plan for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This business plan aims to harness the collective energy of the traditional building crafts sector and represents an important opportunity to build on the past and train for the future.

Speaking at the launch, Andrew McIntosh, Minister for the Media and Heritage said: "I am delighted that English Heritage and CITB-ConstructionSkills together with the NHTG are tackling the problem of skills shortages in traditional building crafts. Without these skills our aspiration to unlock the potential of the historic environment as a powerful social and economic driver will crumble along with our heritage itself. We must ensure that these skills are not lost for future generations."

Dr Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: "I am very pleased to see the NHTG business plan. We desperately need to encourage and train the craftsmen and women of the future. This is our first important step.

"Many of us live and work in historic buildings, English Heritage itself looks after over 400 historic properties and grant aid the repair of nationally important building and advises the public on conservation. So we are very aware of the urgent need for people with traditional building skills. The NHTG is the only way that we can prevent these skills from being consigned to history."

Peter Lobban, Chief Executive of the CITB-ConstructionSkills, said: "This is an important step to ensure that traditional building crafts and conservation skills are not lost. CITB-ConstructionSkills, along with its partners in the National Heritage Training Group, is committed to ensuring that the heritage industry attracts the craftspeople it needs to maintain the UK’s historic buildings."

David Linford, Chairman of the NHTG, said: "The demand for skilled, quality craftspeople and professions is not going to go away. With the establishment of the National Heritage Training Group (NHTG) the industry is grasping the challenge of meeting the demand. The NHTG will provide the best chance to resolve once and for all, the problem of traditional building crafts skill shortages; to ensure rewarding jobs for future generations; to preserve and enhance the country’s skilled workforce; and, to guarantee the welfare of the nation’s heritage."