Summary Proceedings from Day One of Action on Skills Training and Education for the Historic Environment

29 April 2008, The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment, London

Related pages:
Action on Skills Training and Education introduction
Action on Skills: Day Two

(N.B. Bullet points in italics are intended to summarise the key points of the presentations but only reflect the opinion of the note taker)

Launch of NHTG (National Heritage Training Group) research reports into the ‘Built Heritage Sector Professionals’ and the ‘Traditional Building Craft Skills – England 2008’

1.    HRH The Prince of Wales’ message
•    Links with sustainable new build
•    Concerted effort to address skills gaps vital
•    Collaboration between the crafts and professionals necessary
•    Human dimension – rewarding career paths
•    Significance for the urban context of the future

2.    Peter Lobban (Chief Executive, Construction Skills): Findings and Conclusions of the Research Reports
•    The built heritage sector – a new perspective
•    Summary of the key findings
•    Skill gaps rather than absolute shortages
•    6590 identified shortage (2005) dropped by 3000 in 2008.

3.    Bill Martin (Conservation Director, English Heritage): The Role of English Heritage

•    Co-ordinated broad sector wide response – SSA with CS
•    EH Climate change summit – findings? new website ‘climate change and your home’ coming soon
•    How to reach general trades and contractors – who do not consider themselves ‘conservationists’
•    New EH site maintenance contracts
•    Training & Works contracts & CSCS Heritage cards progress
•    Need to ensure that the right skills are in place to do the job properly and EH are committed to achieving this

4. Mike Moody (Chair, National Heritage Training Group): The Report’s Skills Action Plan: The Way Forward

•    NHTG progress since 2005
•    Action Plan list (is NHTG the right vehicle to take forward issues of fiscal policy?)
•    Indigenous materials – carbon footprint
•    (One slide Action Plan listing)
•    Inspire individuals to strive for excellence
•    Educate property owners – a national campaign
•    National building standards for conservation
•    Lifelong learning and CPD – flexibility
•    Dialogue with stakeholders

5.   Q&A session (Chaired by Seamus Hanna, Construction Skills)

•    Skill shortage figure does not reflect the whole situation – needs to be shown alongside age profiling and long term pattern of professional employment.
•    Lack of acknowledgement by CABE of professional careers with the existing built environment
•    £6billion a massive amount of expenditure – how can we influence this spend?
•    Other Sector Skills Councils, particularly on material supply – how to engage?
•    ConstructionSkills sustainability matrix
•    Recruitment issue is down to ‘status’ and perception – disproportionate influence on private stockholders
•    Stockholders need to be made aware that they need to be aware
•    Of 3000 improvement how much result of immigration/training – cannot tell – probably an overall sector underestimate
•    35% of professionals (think they are) qualified through formal education – SPAB disagree – nothing like

-End of launch-

6.   Lord Donald Hankey (President, ICOMOS-UK): Conference Welcome

•    Bath workshop in Sept 2005: Conservation in Architectural Education: Making a Case – findings?
•    Skills White paper – devolving responsibility to LA’s – can they cope?
•    Funding issues – policy not clear
•    What of social and cultural dimension?
•    Contributes to our sense of wellbeing
•    Sustainability – performance of 20m high existing buildings
•    Heritage therefore not a speciality but a central role of the whole environment

•    Challenges:

• Broaden discipline applied to all pre-1919 buildings
• Discipline of heritage conservation –towards energy conservation – influence on new build as well
• Innovation applicable to use of old & traditional materials
• Wide social and economic benefits. EH new principles

•    Vision: training, innovation, new materials – if appropriate, stakeholders a bigger message to be heard and understood at all levels – managed with energy and how/who?

•    Key questions?

• Who should lead?
• Ensure concerted action and consistency
• Broad consistency but local diversity
• Measure contribution to social/economic benefit
• Is our current philosophy too constrained
• How do we make conservation ‘mainstream’

•    Action Plan – new ICOMOS guidelines to be drafted. New web forum created for discussion among ICOMOS-UK members

Read Donald Hankey’s Paper (PDF)

Session One: Delivering the Skills’ Agenda (Chair: Bill Martin, Conservation Director, English Heritage)

7.   Bill Martin (Chair’s introduction)

•    Who should lead – who should deliver?
•    Regrets no Minister present

8.   Peter Lobban (Chief Executive, Construction Skills): Construction Skills’ Role in Training and Skills Development

•    Skills training and education for the historic environment
•    ConsrtuctionSkills to fund, develop and manage training for a skilled workforce.
•    Right skills, right place, right time
•    Employer led SSC
•    Brief for craft skills and the professions through Construction Industry Council.
•    Engage industry in training – only 25% involved in training – starter jobs for young apprentices are a real problem
•    £165m worth of grants currently
•    43% of construction value but 2/3rds of all employment  CRM sector of CS
•    Stimulate the use of more traditional materials
•    Influence change through DIUS
•    LSC £1billion to 2011 for training through employer led schemes
•    List new apprentices in ‘The Times’ this year
•    New Diploma routes – opportunities for heritage, to be piloted in schools – website address
•    VAT issue for Listed Buildings
•    Strategic Forums: SSA’s with EH, HS, Cadw, N. Ireland, + NSAfC
•    Get involved in CS forecasting network
•    £300k Visiting Professorships Programme
•    RHSAG and NHTA – SW/York & Humber.

9.   Chris Wood (on behalf of Edward Impey) (Building Conservation & Research Team, English Heritage): Managing and Sustaining the Historic Environment

•    Managing and Sustaining the Heritage Environment.
•    Existing buildings and their materials do not count in Govts calculation of carbon footprint as it already exists (!)
•    Social, economic and educational value of caring for the historic environment
•    Partnership, understanding and greater appreciation of the role of the historic environment.
•    Managing change in the historic environment
•    Not just training but standards, quality CPD and raising standards through career opportunities
•    National Occupational Standards framework for progression, trainees, professionals and voluntary sector
•    Other prof. standards; marine and voluntary archaeology, managers in the built environment etc.
•    Conservation Accreditation – additional to basic academic qualification
•    Capacity building role with wide range of partners from LA’s to voluntary bodies. Outreach. HELM.
•    EH changing from enforcer to enabler.

10.  Dr Jo Reilly (Heritage Lottery Fund)

•    HLF; new look, new strategy
•    Research helps with information based policy making
•    Vision: Leading advocate for the value of heritage to modern life, innovative investment – lasting impact
•    Strategic aims 2008-2013
•    Learning is an aim in all funded projects – mandatory
•    Sustainable resource use – greening benefits advisory not mandatory
•    Increased emphasis on maintenance
•    Funding apprentices – York Glaziers’ Trust
•    Training Bursary Programme – (see Clara’s presentation)
•    HLF Good Practice Guidance
•    Will consider promoting Training & Works Contracts – probably recommend not compulsory
•    Fund SPAB awareness days and school activity projects

11.  Q&A session

•    Impact of Building Regulation changes – EH making progress and issuing guidance notes inc. breathable buildings, should receive a sympathetic response
•    Need much more guidance funded by HLF. Policy and good practice a responsibility of the heritage agencies.
•    Innovation – from crafts and traditional materials to influencing new build. A huge opportunity.
•    Building Inspectors do not have to consult with Conservation Officers
•    Skills for Sustainable Communities – highlighted shortage in the building professionals (except Cons. Officers, 8% surplus..!)
•    Combine Heritage, Maintenance and Design thinking at Govt. Level
•    Training Bursary Programme will not be repeated but innovative training projects will be expected and sought. No thorough evaluation of bursaries available as yet only year 1 so far.
•    Traditional building material supplies – sourcing from within UK? New website on stone sources with British Geological Survey.
•    Stimulated market for farmers to plant long wheat straw EH pro-active
•    Accreditation of time served crafts people for HLF funded work –they should be aided to access this work. CSCS heritage cards can be assessed and carded very quickly.
•    ICON – PACR card disparity for ‘conservators’ as opposed to craftspeople – an issue to resolve.
•    HLF funded training must produce outcomes in the form of transferable qualifications in the future – focus will be on accreditation
•    Getting local materials – sites should be acquired publicly and the cost controlled – training would follow. HLF would welcome an application to test this.

Session Two: Understanding the Sector (Chair: Steven Parissien, Director of Education & Skills, The Prince’s Foundation)

12.  Paul Simons (Director, McCurdy & Co Ltd): Overview of the needs of the Professional and Craft Skills
Sector

•    As a conservation architect and director of a conservation company I have a ‘foot in both camps’
•    It is vital that we enhance the levels of flexible training available in the heritage sector.
•    A fundamental shift is needed in:

• How training is delivered?
• Who carries out the training?
• How the training is delivered?
• Who gets enhanced training?
• How is this paid for?

•    A series of stories to set the scene:

• The Brick – you can train as an architect for 7 years and never pick up a brick.
• The Borstal – running a youth training scheme on a Grade 1 building
• The BMW – you will spend £95 p/h on a mechanic for your car but argue about £25 p/h for a craftsperson on your listed house
• The Chiltern Hundred – use traditional craft training to educate modern house builders
• The Sponge – the timber that was a sponge, creating dialogue between craftspeople and specifiers
• The Hairdressers – it make more money training hairdressers than stone masons – facility costs
• The Chinese Railings – procurement in a THI in Lancashire.

•    Surveys do not deal with pay rates in the heritage sector
•    Conservation needs a Jamie Oliver or Kevin McCloud to engage and excite the young
•    Lack of current reference in the new Heritage Protection Bill of skills or training

13.  Clare Charlesworth (Craft Skills Coordinator, English Heritage): NHTG Craft Skills Research Report Review

•    A snapshot of the Traditional Building Craft Skills report, England 2008
•    Review and evaluate work of NHTG
•    Themes demand, supply and training
•    Added – traditional building material supply chain
•    Large skill gaps with 33% not adequately qualified for work
•    Clients – lack of knowledge concerning skills to seek
•    Only 8% described as conservation specialists
•    109,000 craftspeople in sector
•    Skills shortages less a problem than skills gaps
•    Knowledge of qualities of traditional materials weak
•    Material stockholders require upgrade of knowledge – integrate
•    Significant decline in number of apprentices
•    On-the-job training preferred
•    Integrate traditional building skills into mainstream
•    Success of ‘Training the Trainers’ programme
•    Need of Accredited Heritage Building Contractors’ Register
•    Promote careers in the traditional/heritage sector
•    Links to SSC ‘ProSkills’.
•    Develop advanced Construction Award in Heritage Skills
•    Heritage Apprenticeship Programme
•    Share learning opportunities with craftspeople and professionals

14.  Seamus Hanna (Heritage and Conservation Manager, Construction Skills): NHTG  Building Professionals Skills Research Report Review

•    A new assessment of the needs of UK building professionals in the heritage sector
•    Training, knowledge and skills in relation to specifying and advising
•    Professionals first to encounter problems – caretakers and project managers
•    Professionals effectively ‘manage’ change to the historic environment
•    Lack of knowledge could lead to irreversible damage to whole building
•    Changing market – skills gaps, recruitment, accreditation
•    Action Plan to stimulate positive change.
•    Structure of survey; qualitative and quantitative
•    Projected increase in workload
•    Difficulties finding contractors
•    Accreditation schemes
•    Severe recruitment difficulties; architects and engineers
•    Cost of traditional building materials
•    Lack of heritage in Build Environment HE courses
•    Important role of CPD
•    High-level Building Professionals conference in 2008 to create partnership for Action Plan.

15.  Q&A session:

•    Accreditation – how will it work, Lead Assoc. example.
•    Who will monitor – it has to be reviewed annually
•    The YOP scheme was a good introduction to many youngsters to the heritage sector – it should be brought back for the difficult 20%ers.
•    Are we getting over qualified – some resistance to the CSCS Heritage card on top of basic – top heavy admin, expense.(?)
•    Include post 1919 buildings (?)

Session Three: Setting Standards (Chair: Henry Russell, Chair Conservation Sector, Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors)

16. Sean O’Reilly (Director, Institute for Historic Building Conservation): Assessing Professional Standards in the IHBC

•    Conservation – its as current as the internet its both global and local
•    Regeneration, redevelopment and intervention
•    Architecture and signature buildings
•    Repair or sustainable renovation.
•    Its planning and place-making, public space and the buffer zone
•    Changing places purposefully – for the better
•    Complex – balancing polarised tensions
•    Local Planning Authorities – a minefield in which to drop a Cons. Officer
•    Assessing competence – crossing traditional boundaries
•    The Conservation cycle – intervention, evaluation, management – reference the ICOMOS guidelines
•    Cutting edge practical place-makers
•    June Summer School 2008 in Guildford.
•    Complexity of the market, investment and fiscal framework – resources and markets vital for capacity building
•    Heritage Protection Bill sees the challenges but doesn’t have the answers

17.  Prof. Martina Caruana (Director, Heritage Malta): Development of a Standard Curriculum for Conservation

•    Standard learning outcomes for Conservation Education
•    European Conservation Practitioners License – Leonardo Project
•    ECCO and ENCoRE – draft professional profile for the conservator/restorer
•    Lack of detail in the common standards for provision of education for the professional conservator-restorers
•    Lack of homogeneity due to variety of European education systems
•    Mobility of labour – understand other qualifications/certificates
•    EuroMatrix Heritage – systematic survey across Europe how does NVQ align with other European standards?
•    EuroMCSD – minimum common (professional) standards definition at post grad level (EQF levels 7 & 8; 6 = undergraduate) 10 criteria to assess
•    EuroHeritage Licence – create a legal entity to grant ECRL, accredits education, responding to the requirements of the profession. European Sector Skill Units.
•    Learning outcomes: knowledge, skills and competencies.
•    Ethical and aesthetic issues (skills)
•    Sequel: learning outcomes, MCSD’s, related to other professions.

18.  Ingval Maxwell OBE (Director of Technical Conservation, Research & Education, Historic Scotland): Accrediting Building Conservation Professionals

•    Accrediting Building Conservation Professionals
•    Political direction north of the border
•    Application of Scottish Buildings Standards  to pre-1919 buildings
•    Greater understanding of materials through working with others – British Geological Survey
•    Flood damaged properties – the problem of poor quality repairs
•    Accreditation: suitably qualified professionals, individual’s competence not a firms, relevant project evidence.
•    Achieve a fully accredited professional team
•    The Edinburgh Group – ICOMOS Training & Education Guidelines; following this prevented a charge of ‘restrictive practice’.
•    5 cpd accreditation units
•    www.understandingconservation.org.uk
•    Cultural Significance
•    Aesthetic qualities and values
•    Investigation, materials and technology
•    Social and financial issues
•    Implementation and management of conservation works
•    Basis of European integration is in place – how realistic is this?
•    Built heritage training, education and support activities framework – translate to educational material

19.  Alistair McCapra (Chief Executive, Institute for Conservation, ICON): Accrediting UK Conservation Professionals

•    Accrediting the UK Conservation Professionals
•    Useful work in EuroConservation Licence but does not cover repair and maintenance – is this too exclusive as in France and Italy?
•    ECCO defines conservation as an academic profession – 5 years study minimum
•    No legal basis for Euro licencing – a matter for home nations.
•    No Euro licencing for academic institutes
•    ICON the lead body for the conservation professional and conservator
•    700 ACR’s National Trusts, Council Care of Churches
•    3 components: Assessment, CPD progression, a disciplinary code.
•    See professional standards on ICON website
•    Novice to expert scale.
•    Conservation register on the web.
•    www.icon.org.uk

20. Q&A session

•    Icon – a general ‘conservation’ qualification – what of specialisms – (it’s on the web)
•    The role of the country house owner/curator –  they have qualifications and employ craftspeople directly. They can act as their own architect
•    Question of threshold between craftsman and conservator
•    Jeff Orton, a plasterer, raised a number of topics and asked if could speak on behalf of the craftsman’s point of view sometime tomorrow – this was agreed.

-End of Day One-

Go to Summary Proceedings for Day Two