History and the Future Collide at the Sussex Heritage Trust Taster Day

The Sussex Heritage Trust welcomed construction students from across the region to their inspiring and hands-on Heritage Construction Taster Day held on Wednesday 25th March at the Weald and Downland Living Museum, shaping opportunities for their future in the skills of the past.

The event brought together 30 students from the Chichester College Group, Crawley College and Brighton MET College for a unique opportunity to explore traditional construction crafts under the guidance of leading industry experts.

The immersive day introduced students to a range of heritage skills, including wooden shingle making, lime mortar work, flint knapping, and brick making. Through practical, hands-on sessions, students gained valuable insight into historic building techniques that remain vital to the conservation of the county’s built heritage.

The Taster Day marks the beginning of an ambitious programme for these young people, by the Sussex Heritage Trust, aimed at inspiring the next generation of heritage construction professionals. Following this initial experience, students who wish to continue will be supported through funded short courses to develop specialist skills aligned with their interests. The Trust will then work closely with heritage construction companies, master craftspeople, and estate teams across Sussex to secure meaningful work placements.

This initiative directly addresses two critical challenges: helping young people access fulfilling career pathways and tackling the growing skills shortage in the heritage construction sector, where many experienced craftspeople are nearing retirement without clear succession routes.

The impact of the day was immediately evident. An impressive 96% of participating students expressed interest in incorporating heritage skills into their future careers.

Students responded enthusiastically to the experience, highlighting the satisfaction of hands-on learning:

• “It was amazing – new skills learned.”
• “Getting to try out new things I’ve never done before.”
• “Trying new things was good for me and I thank you for that.”

Activities such as flint knapping, woodworking, and traditional shingle making proved especially popular, with students enjoying “smashing flint with a hammer,” “cutting wood,” and creating shingles from start to finish using traditional tools, including a two-person saw. Bricklaying and lime mortar sessions also stood out, with one student remarking, “I realised I’m good at brick laying,” highlighting the confidence-building impact of the day.

Sarah Nute, Education Officer at the Sussex Heritage Trust, said:
“To see these young people transform through the initial taster day is a very special thing. We’re helping to uncover hidden talents—skills many didn’t even realise they had—and opening their eyes to new and exciting career possibilities within heritage construction. This work is vital not only for the future of these students, but for the preservation of traditional craft skills that are at real risk of being lost.”

She added:
“We are incredibly grateful to our partners at the Chichester College Group and the Weald and Downland Museum for helping us deliver such a meaningful experience, and to all of our funders and supporters who have made this programme possible.”

The Sussex Heritage Trust extends its sincere thanks to its funders and supporters, including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, South Downs National Park Authority, Sussex Community Foundation, Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust, Swire Charitable Trust and Dulverton Trust.

Together, this collaborative effort is helping to build a sustainable future for heritage construction—supporting young people into meaningful careers while safeguarding traditional skills for generations to come.