The number of new trainees and apprentices in heritage-related craft skills in England has fallen by 13 per cent in the past year, according to the sixth annual survey of the state of the historic environment by conservation body English Heritage.
Peter Robinson, the head of social and economic research at English Heritage, said the issue was a shortage of funding, rather than a lack of interest in the schemes.
But Robinson said as there is inconsistent data it is impossible to say which areas of heritage are suffering most from the skills shortage. He suspected the problem wasn't having a significant impact on the historic environment as a whole.
"The proportion of buildings classified at risk has actually been falling," said Robinson. "Rather, it is one factor that can make it difficult, on occasion, to repair a building or a dry-stone wall. It is not an overwhelming problem."
Diana Rowsell, the head of learning at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, said the problem started when many apprenticeships were scrapped during the recession in the 1980s.
She added that the West Sussex museum had found its own way to counteract the problem. "Over the past nine years, I have developed lots of specialist courses in traditional building crafts, historic building conservation and the use of traditional tools and materials, to try to help fill this gap and meet the demand," said Rowsell.
For people wishing to train in craft skills, however, competition is fierce and places are few. Rachel Swift completed a 12-month Institute of Conservation (ICON) internship this year at the National Conservation Centre in Liverpool, before immediately securing a job as a ceramics conservator at the British Museum.
"It was exactly what I needed to get my foot on the ladder into ceramic conservation, but there aren't many places on the scheme," Swift said. "There were 450 applicants for 12 places this year."
English Heritage plans to introduce a two-year graduate training programme, which will initially help nine people develop skills in historic buildings, historic areas and archaeology.
Sian Thatcher
Peter Robinson, the head of social and economic research at English Heritage, said the issue was a shortage of funding, rather than a lack of interest in the schemes.
But Robinson said as there is inconsistent data it is impossible to say which areas of heritage are suffering most from the skills shortage. He suspected the problem wasn't having a significant impact on the historic environment as a whole.
"The proportion of buildings classified at risk has actually been falling," said Robinson. "Rather, it is one factor that can make it difficult, on occasion, to repair a building or a dry-stone wall. It is not an overwhelming problem."
Diana Rowsell, the head of learning at the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, said the problem started when many apprenticeships were scrapped during the recession in the 1980s.
She added that the West Sussex museum had found its own way to counteract the problem. "Over the past nine years, I have developed lots of specialist courses in traditional building crafts, historic building conservation and the use of traditional tools and materials, to try to help fill this gap and meet the demand," said Rowsell.
For people wishing to train in craft skills, however, competition is fierce and places are few. Rachel Swift completed a 12-month Institute of Conservation (ICON) internship this year at the National Conservation Centre in Liverpool, before immediately securing a job as a ceramics conservator at the British Museum.
"It was exactly what I needed to get my foot on the ladder into ceramic conservation, but there aren't many places on the scheme," Swift said. "There were 450 applicants for 12 places this year."
English Heritage plans to introduce a two-year graduate training programme, which will initially help nine people develop skills in historic buildings, historic areas and archaeology.
Sian Thatcher
