Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is collaborating with the Institute of Conservation (Icon) and various partners to establish a new risk register aimed at identifying traditional building and heritage skills that are in danger of vanishing. This initiative will result in the creation of the Heritage Skills At Risk Register, which will facilitate the identification, evaluation, and categorization of skills including thatching, traditional stained and leaded glass production, architectural blacksmithing, and stonemasonry.
The demand for these specialized skills is increasing swiftly, largely due to the pressing requirement to retrofit historic structures in order to achieve national net zero objectives. Nevertheless, there exists a significant shortage of training programs for individuals aspiring to acquire these skills, coupled with a low level of awareness regarding their potential as viable career paths. Presently, Scotland has fewer than ten trained thatchers, only five Icon-registered stained-glass conservators, 20 architectural blacksmiths proficient in traditional forging techniques, and fewer than 300 trained stonemasons.
The Heritage Skills At Risk Register has been developed by HES and Icon to initiate a national dialogue regarding the challenges associated with heritage skills. This initiative seeks to motivate other organizations to identify and bring attention to similar skill shortages, facilitating their resolution. Launched in conjunction with Scottish Apprenticeship Week (3-7 March), the program also underscores the deficiency of training facilities available for individuals to acquire heritage skills.
A YouGov poll commissioned by HES has revealed that a significant majority of Scots, specifically 78 percent, believe it is essential for more individuals to acquire the skills necessary for the preservation of the historic environment. Additionally, the survey indicated that 82 percent of respondents consider it important to have sufficient training opportunities available. When inquired about which traditional skills they would be interested in learning, 47 percent expressed interest in historic stained glass making, 33 percent in stonemasonry, 32 percent in blacksmithing, and 20 percent in thatching.
HES will work with Icon and additional partners as part of the heritage sector’s Skills Investment Plan to pinpoint the skills that are most vulnerable. This initiative builds upon the UK-wide effort to recognize and monitor at-risk skills through the Heritage Crafts Red List, and aims to assess the number of practitioners in Scotland who are engaged in the built environment.
Dr David Mitchell, Director of Cultural Assets at HES, said: “We have been sounding the alarm on Scotland’s heritage skills shortage for some time and it is now reaching a critical point.”
“The Heritage Skills At Risk Register is a proactive measure to help address this crisis, and we urge other organisations to contribute to it so we can collaboratively build a comprehensive national picture of where skills are needed. With demand for heritage skills increasing rapidly, we cannot afford to delay. We must significantly increase training opportunities to ensure our traditional and historic buildings are maintained for future generations.”
“We need a concerted effort to attract young people into the sector from schools, colleges and universities, as well as encouraging skilled workers and career changers to consider this vital field. Traditional skills are not just about conserving the past; they are crucial to Scotland’s future, particularly in our efforts to achieve net zero. With approximately one in five homes in Scotland being built before 1919, these skills will play a pivotal role in our journey towards a sustainable future.”
