North East Heritage Contractors Converge on Belsay

The Northumbrian village of Belsay was awoken early this morning by a steady rumble of vans and pick-up trucks: heritage contractors from across the north east of England were gathering at a breakfast meeting to find out about the latest qualifications and funding available to support construction workers on the region’s 196,000 pre-1919 buildings.

Belsay Hall - a stunning early 19th century Grade I listed English Heritage property - provided a fitting location for the event.

Over 70 delegates attended the event, including some of the region’s finest craftspeople, along with representatives of the 5 Centre of Vocational Excellence (COVE) construction colleges.

Delegates learnt about the forthcoming requirement for CSCS Heritage Skills Cards for those wanting to work on English Heritage properties, routes to achieve the card, and available funding.

It was also an opportunity for the North East Heritage Skills Initiative to launch its extensive programme of built heritage events and courses for 2009.

Representatives and speakers attended from English Heritage, ConstructionSkills, the North East Heritage Skills Initiative, the National Heritage Training Group (NHTG), Constructing Excellence and the Learning and Skills Council.

The event focussed on business and training opportunities for work in the built heritage sector, highlighting the following:

• North East Historic Built Environment – why its care and conservation is important
• Training and Business Development – a contractors point of view
• Heritage Skills NVQ and CSCS Heritage Skills cards – getting qualified and accredited for this sector
• ConstructionSkills grants and Train to Gain Service
• Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme

ConstructionSkills and HSI are providing ongoing support to employers who want to get qualified to work on the north east’s traditional buildings.

Hilary Pollock, Company Development Advisor for ConstructionSkills in the North East, said:
“There has never been a more appropriate time for construction companies to take a look at their business and to ensure that they have all the necessary measures in place to see them through the current slow down in the sector.  In the North East there is an excellent opportunity for companies within the construction sector to diversify its workforce and undertake the relevant training to work in the heritage sector, as a lot of the work in this region is currently being done on pre 1919 buildings.”

“By registering for the Heritage Skills NVQ Level 3 course and CSCS Heritage Skills Card, construction companies will be on the right step to becoming qualified to work in the heritage sector, and these specific qualifications it will mean that companies have a safer, more productive and fully qualified workforce.”

• Heritage Skills NVQ Level 3
• CSCS Heritage Skills Card
• North East Heritage Skills Initiative
• Heritage skills near to you

For more information about how ConstructionSkills can help construction companies, log onto www.cskills.org or call 0344 994 4044 to find out full details of the grants, training and support available and the terms and conditions that apply.

The event was part of a national programme of contractor engagement events supported by the National Heritage Training Group. Contact us for more information.