Heritage Skills Taster Day

The Heritage Skills Taster Day is an exciting initiative designed to inspire young people to explore careers in building conservation and the construction industry.

Launched in June 2024 by the Sussex Heritage Trust, this programme provides hands-on opportunities for 40 students from Chichester College Group to develop practical skills in building conservation crafts and trades.   Hosted at the Weald & Downland Living Museum, participants gain unique insights into preserving historic buildings while learning from industry experts.

The next day will take place on 19th March 2025, funded by South Downs National Park Authority, Ernest Kleinwort Charitable TrustThe Swire Charitable Trust and the Ian M Foulerton Charitable Trust.

 

“With the bursary and these courses, you get to learn from top quality craftsmen. For us to have the opportunity to learn this at such as young age is a really good experience… what you walk away with is amazing. You can get a job for life with the skills they teach you.”

Callum, 24, Stonework – 2022 bursary recipient

Taster Day

Impact Report 2024

View Flipbook

Learn from Experts

Each student will try their hand at four different building conservation skills and trades, supported by expert practitioners:

Conservation Skills

  • Brick making
  • Wattle and Daub
  • Hurdle Making
  • Practical Timber Repairs

Survival

You might have heard of the work Heritage Crafts have been doing with reporting on Endangered Crafts and the likelihood they will survive into the next generation. Shockingly, the list features 40 building conservation crafts, 20 of which are listed as endangered or worse: unless something is done, there will not be enough young people training in these trades for them to survive into the future.

VIEW REPORT

Hurdle Making

Free Places at Short Courses

We want to show the next generation of builders that there are exciting opportunities in the construction and building conservation sectors. A critical part of this is working with the industry to develop a professional pathway through apprenticeships and work placements.

Following the Taster Day, the Sussex Heritage Trust will offer free places at short courses in building conservation through our Bursary Scheme and connect with training and apprenticeship opportunities with industry partners, providing a pathway to further employment.

Contact Us

Wattle & Daub

In partnership with:

With thanks to the generous financial support of