About the Heritage Skills Initiative in Wales

The NHTG Traditional Building Craft Skills, Assessing the Need, Meeting the Challenge, Skills Needs Analysis of the Built Heritage Sector in Wales report launched in July 2007 highlighted significant skills and knowledge gaps in the workforce. Upskilling the contractors, who are mostly general builders and many of whom have no formal traditional building craft skills training is the key priority.
 
A Sector Skills Agreement between ConstructionSkills in Wales and Cadw, Welsh Assembly Government is currently being considered to coordinate training and skills development in this sector. This fits into the Wales Strategic Framework for the Built Environment- Building Companies, Building Skills which sets out an integrated vision to have the right skills base to meet supply and demand and provide appropriate training provision in Wales. The NHTG will play a supporting role in this work with the two main partners ConstructionSkills in Wales and Cadw, Welsh assembly Government in this work.

To this end, an NHTG Wales Group is being considered to bring together the various parties under a strategic umbrella to deliver and where necessary adapt the Skills Action Plan of the 2007 report. This will build upon and fully utilise the pockets of excellent best practice that exist across the country. It will also help coordinate dissemination of information, advice and guidance, develop training opportuntites, support heritage skills events and promote this sector across Wales. Delivery will be assisted by the ConstructionSkills in Wales regional staff with specialst advise from the Heritage & Conservation Team within ConstructionSkills. 
 
In the meantime, if you are interested in knowing more about traditional building skills work in Wales please contact: Mark Hinsley, Heritage Project Manager, ConstructionSkills (mark.hinsley@cskills.org)