NHTG Skills Needs Analysis for Ireland Published

The report was launched at the infamous Crumlin Road Gaol, Belfast, built in 1843-45 and modelled on London’s Pentonville prison. It highlights that 125,000 pre-1919 buildings (16% of the total building stock) in Northern Ireland could be at risk as the majority of the workforce undertaking the necessary conservation, repair and maintenance work do not possess all the skills required to do the job properly.

Download the report here.

The report identified that whilst most craftspeople possess a sound level of basic skills, often gained through work on new build projects, they lack the specialist knowledge and experience in traditional methods and materials. The vast majority of those working on pre-1919 buildings are general builders, with only 14% seeing themselves as conservation or heritage specialists. Their use of a mixture of traditional and modern materials for repairs work can damage and undermine the integrity of the historic building.

Currently over 1,800 people work in this sector, excluding self-employed and as 65% of the contractors use sub-contractors the numbers at any one time will be considerably higher. £25million was spent on conservation repair and maintenance of pre-1919 buildings in Northern Ireland in 2007 and this is expected to rise to over £26million by 2010.  However only 5% of all employers working in the sector at large undertook any work on a pre-1919 building in the past 12 months and this only formed 25% of their work-load. As such the potential for traditional building craft skills is estimated to be twice the current demand but lack of awareness among property owners of the benefits of using traditional building materials stifles demand.

The report also found only 2% of all construction trainees go into specialist heritage work, and that there is almost no specialist conservation or heritage skills courses in Northern Ireland. However, almost 60% of trainers are thought to have traditional building craft skills which could be used to revive these skills in the college environment.

The National Heritage Training Group in partnership with ConstructionSkills in Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has developed an action plan to ensure that individuals working on traditional buildings receive the required training and guidance.  They will form a Traditional Building Skills Working Group to improve recruitment and careers advice, deliver flexible training and skills development to meet the needs of contractors and craftspeople and:

• Provide consumer protection to homeowners by promoting the use of suitably experienced and competent contractors and craftspeople for pre-1919 building work through a heritage contractors register
• Raise awareness of the built heritage sector and career progression opportunities up to master crafts status 
• Establish a traditional building craft skills centre at the NIEA depot at Moira 
• Encourage up-take of qualifications such as the Heritage Skills NVQ Level 3 and registering trainees on a Heritage Apprenticeship Programme 
• Focus upon up-skilling practitioners working in the construction sector and developing built heritage sector assessors to help qualify the workforce 
• Respond to contractors’ preference for on-site, practical training and qualification through increased uptake of bursary placements, 
• Develop a Training the Trainers programme to improve FE college lecturers knowledge of conservation, repair and maintenance
• Develop a mentoring programme for experienced craftspeople to pass on their skills and knowledge to less experienced practitioners.

Allan McMullan, Chief Executive of CITB-Northern Ireland, said: “Northern Ireland is famous for it’s wealth of outstanding pre-1919 buildings, from the Victorian splendour of Belfast to the many traditional farm buildings and historic villages and towns that shape our landscape. It is essential that we preserve these for future generations by ensuring that the contractors and craftspeople throughout the province are fully trained in traditional building crafts, such as, stone masonry, using lime mortars, stone slate roofing, glazing and other trades.

“We are committed to providing a range of training and skills development programmes to meet the needs of contractors and craftspeople in Northern Ireland’s built heritage sector.  Flexible on-site training schemes and the heritage qualifications will encourage people to pursue a career in these specialist areas.”

The report also recommends that Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland continue to work in partnership to share best practice and expertise to increase demand for suitably skilled and experienced contractors and craftspeople in both countries.

Michael Coulter, Director for the NIEA Built Heritage Directorate adds: “The NIEA is showing its commitment to helping to train and up-skill the wider sector workforce by investing in developing a traditional building skills centre at our Moira depot. We are proud of the conservation skills of our own 55 craftspeople and by using their expertise and experience to develop the skills base we are helping to address the issues raised in this ground breaking report.” 

Mike Moody, Chairman of the National Heritage Training Group said, “A workforce equipped with the right knowledge, skills and understanding is vital to preserve all Northern Ireland’s pre-1919 buildings, not just the important landmark buildings.  Training is vital to ensure we kick start the revival of traditional building skills and produce the suitably qualified and skilled workforce over the next few years needed to work on these historic buildings.  We are delighted that NHTG will play a key supporting role in training and skills development for the built heritage sector throughout the province.”

Sir Reg Empey, Minster for Employment and Learning, concludes:  “It is essential that we safeguard our architectural heritage for future generations.  All construction work carried out on pre-1919 buildings in Northern Ireland should be to the highest standard and sympathetic to the original building methods and materials. My department will play a key role in ensuring the skills and knowledge gaps highlighted in this report will be addressed and that people working in the construction industry will have the opportunity to avail of appropriate training.”