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Before choosing a training course, you need to decide which type and level of qualification you want to achieve. Your decision will depend upon what stage you are at in your career in traditional building crafts and how you want to progress your career.
In this section we explain how to gain the relevant conservation qualifications and how you can continue to develop your skills and knowledge with other training. This information will then help you as you search our database to find a relevant course and training provider.
Crafts and professional people need to learn the fundamental skills of their job before then going on to acquire the relevant knowledge and skills to work with traditional materials on historic buildings. Vocational Qualifications (S/NVQs) are the main type of nationally recognised qualifications for craft, technical, supervisory and management skills. Professionals, such as architects and building surveyors, study a degree and a professional qualification that has been accredited by a professional institution.
It is more usual to specialise in conservation, repair and maintenance at S/NVQ Level 3 by choosing the relevant conservation unit to study as part of your craft qualification. So whether you are a new-entrant, already working in the construction industry or are seeking to change career, you will have to progress to this level and then gain the relevant knowledge and skills for the conservation, repair and maintenance of historic properties. When choosing an S/NVQ you will need to check if the course offers the conservation unit option at Level 3 or is particularly focused on traditional skills.
It is also useful to seek employment with an employer who specialises in work on historic buildings, so that as you progress with your S/NVQ you can gain a direct understanding of the important skills for carrying out successful work on an historic building and get the relevant on-site experience to achieve the conservation unit of your qualification. If you are an existing employee looking to fill the gaps in your knowledge and skills, your employer might also wish to look at the option of you achieving your relevant qualification on the job through the On-site Assessment and Training (OSAT) process.
Once you have achieved your qualification, you can apply to have your CSCS card endorsed with your conservation units at S/NVQ Level 3 so that you can demonstrate your specialist qualification to anyone on a construction site.
If you are not employed by a contractor, you will have to find the funds yourself to study either full or part-time for a Construction Award at college. You will not gain any on site experience, so once you are working for a contractor, you should then apply for an S/NVQ and progress onto study the conservation option relevant for your craft.
But the learning doesn’t usually stop there! Crafts and professional people need to keep their knowledge up to date and to learn about techniques and skills that might not be part of their earlier courses. Or you might wish to progress into a technical or supervisory role. Or go on to study to become a building surveyor or an architect. Choose from the range of short-duration, vocational and technical qualifications available from specialist courses on lime, S/NVQs, National Certificates or Diplomas, and Foundation Degrees. If you want to find out more information on all the routes into the construction industry and the types of qualifications available, then follow the useful link on this page to www.bConstructive.co.uk.
You can also download (PDF, 1.2MB) the NHTG Careers in Conservation and Restoration Brochure which contains information and guidance for careers both in the craft skills and for built heritage professionals.
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