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

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

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

(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)

Session Four: Best Practice: International Training, (Chair: Dorian Crone, Chair, ICOMOS-UK Education and Training Committee and English Heritage)

21.  Prof. Jukka Jokilehto (Special Adviser, ICCROM) (Best Practice: International Training Overview)

•    Best practice at international training level.
•    List of trends
•    Evolution of conservation concepts –into international doctrine – different ideas at different times and in different places
•    And now western theories into Asia/Africa and having to deal with the ‘intangible’
•    UNESCO, ICOMOS, ICCROM and Council of Europe
•    Reason, knowledge and understanding
•    Conservation started as long ago as the C18th.
•    50% of all international conservation training is based in W & S Europe
•    Each discipline should be given its true place whilst respecting the role of the others (CoE)
•    There is a problem finding the right teachers.
•    ICCROM; 2 programmes, collections and sites – inc. archaeology
•    Constant evolution of doctrines and trends – this affects all written charters –Concept of Charter superseded? – constant revisions leading to confusion – which version?
•    ICOMOS Guidelines on Education & Training – good but needs an ‘addendum’
•    Integrated territorial and urban conservation
•    World Heritage Training programme
•    Celebration of Craft – Roros – upgrading skills in timber crafts. Leonardo programme. – 9 principles ..’in humble support of World Heritage,-’Whocares’
•    Avoid meaningless actions.

22. Stephen Davis (Chair, National Heritage Training Academy South West): The Living Classroom

•    Woodchester – a special category of time suspended
•    Pioneer Masonry training programmes for college students
•    ‘One Big Room – 2005’; funding, accreditation, living classroom, progression – innovative delivery of training
•    Bridging the skills gap
•    Heritage is show business
•    NHTA – SW ; series of programmes
•    Development of academy concept
•    David Paine – appointed as new co-ordinator
•    LSC/RDA funding as now seen as part of regional economic initiative
•    ‘A Bigger Room, Highgrove. 2006’ – funding achieved
•    What is missing is coherent policy towards funding for training.
•    Ambassadors scheme
•    Joining the dots
•    Period home owners a very large target audience

23. Wolfdietrich Elbert (Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board, Villa Fabris Foundation, European Centre for Heritage Crafts and Professions, Thiene, Italy): On-site Training

•    European Centre for European Crafts and Professions – CoE x47
•    Traditional skills using modern tools  and technologies
•    What do we think crafts are and are to be in the future?
•    Crafts have come and going in response to demands of the market in a changing world
•    Crafts are an ideal mix of brain and hands – a vital partner in conservation
•    1976- Sir Bernard Fielden’s feasibility study (is this still available?)
•    What passport does a woodworm need?
•    International co-operation needed but: International training could become so general as to become useless
•    3 month course content (see 2008 programme)
•    Tool box demo – Venice Charter, UNESCO WH charter, Euro Arch Heritage 1975, Euro Landscape Convention – on top of all this is the ICOMOS Guidelines
•    30 years of success and failures – many successfully trained, not all made impressive careers, ‘Venice has not been saved’
•    Recognise that the historic environment is the world that we live in
•    Learn from each other, work together and travel
•    However, keep the future agenda open – then we all have a chance

24. Jurgen Prigl (President, European Association of Building, Crafts and Design): Master Crafts Training in Europe

•    European Association of Building Crafts & Design
•    Soest Cathedral – St. Mary in the Meadow – international network of cathedral workshops – inspiring creative interaction between the crafts
•    Learning from the past to make the future good
•    1998 The Circle of Soest – cross European standards and classifying the crafts, grading the quality of high level qualifications – no country had the magic formula
•    Created an addition degree – a new master of craft degree, 2002 Basle
•    European cross standards agreed
•    A decentralised programme of development of craft skills – Gotland
•    Stonemasons (only craft so far) reached highest level of qualification within their own national organisation
•    European additional vocational training system for European Master of Craft over three years (6 modules x3 weeks – 8 young participants after national competition –these are people who would not qualify for a university education)
•    Advisory Board
•    European Master of Craft registered in Brussels – (recognised in how many countries?)
•    Currently only for stonework but now wish to extend to all crafts.

25. Q&A session

•    Work towards common standards and accreditation whilst not destroying cultural diversity
•    NHTG – a consortium, through ConstructionSkills is working through the European Confederation of Building
•    The story of 3 masons: i) carved stone, ii) carved stone and supported his family iii) carved stone and built a cathedral.
•    Architects were originally master craftsmen – computerisation is destroying the nature of architectural skills – look, understand and draw
•    Recommended “The Craftsman” by Richard Sennit
•    Vision: English regional structure needs to recognise regional character through the vernacular and support the crafts to assist with policies to manage the historic environment – RHSAG’s.
•    How can harmonisation of standards be achieved across Europe in a recognisable and meaningful way.

Session Five: Best Practice: Educational Initiatives (Chair: Sean O’Reilly, Director, IInstitute of Historic Building Conservation)

26. Philip Venning (Secretary, Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings (SPAB)): The Role of the SPAB
•    Role of SPAB -  a long term and lasting impact
•    Creating understanding within the professions and crafts
•    Use their eyes; enquire and through extended network acquire a wealth of knowledge and support
•    Experience goes out like the snuff of a candle
•    Scholars contribution to current conservation practices
•    William Morris Crafts Fellowship
•    Popularity of Home Owners courses.
•    Lime days
•    CPD
•    We need more people teaching thoughtful repair
•    Church Maintenance – HLF funded
•    Interbuild
•    Russia

27.  John Taylor MBE (Chair of Livery Companies Skills’ Council and Honorary Secretary, COTAC)

•    Chair Livery Companies Skills Council – their role in craft skills training
•    Changes to delivery in training provision
•    Much of the craft ethos has been lost in secondary education
•    A lost generation and an aging craft population
•    National Vocational Qualifications – an ongoing assessment of competence based on National Occupational Standards
•    Anything considered non-essential has been cast aside – the breadth of understanding has gone
•    NVQ levels 1-5 described. 3 is the modern goal for competent craft operatives but little industry demand
•    ‘Train to Gain’ excludes basic craft progression to master/senior craft provision, only covers those with no Level 2
•    Colleges not given the time, only 370 hours after 10 years or 10,000 hours in school
•    Colleges not funded for thorough, in-depth training
•    ‘Schools for the Future’ programme not building workshops
•    Explore the potential of Foundation Degrees – a valuable progression now to a level 4 qualification
•    Social, economic and regeneration value of traditional building crafts
•    Engagement of those disillusioned and failing in the education system – the scale of their needs is staggering. 1.2m 16-25 not in education, training or employment

28.  Clara Willett (Bursary Scheme Manager): The HLF Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme

•    Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme
•    Innovation in the delivery of  training
•    Encourage diversity
•    Funding partners
•    80 funded workplace placements to NVQ 3 standard
•    On the job training from sole traders, major contractors to cathedrals
•    From 1 month to 2 years
•    List of skills covered from NHTG 2005 report
•    17 recruited, 5 completed, only committed £167,500
•    Programme will end in 2010 – targets must be achieved

29.  Prof. Phil Banfill (School of the Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University)

•    Educating built environment professionals – technology and management
•   Asset or site; Conservation Plan, project management and after care
•    ICOMOS definition of building conservation activity
•    A cultural, artistic, technical, craft activity
•    Necessary competencies
•    Current undergraduate courses do not mention the built environment
•    It is a post-grad activity – MSc or Dip. (Why?)
•    14 universities but Derby is to close
•    The lead professional must be accredited
•    Prove competence, portfolio, individual not practice
•    www.understandingconservation.org
•    The Edinburgh Group
•    Specialist course providers
•    Education in aftercare is not strong
•    Energy issues are in the hands of the Building Services Engineers – who have very limited knowledge of historic buildings
•    Vulnerability of courses
•    No traditional building training at under-grad level
•    Maintenance not being taught
•    Energy assessors do not necessarily understand old buildings

30.  Q&A session

•    Some architects resisting conservation accreditation – it takes 3 weeks to do the paperwork or 80 hours
•    No demand for accredited professionals from stockholders
•    Potential of Foundation Degrees in the heritage sector
•    Same issues of vulnerability of conservation courses for ‘moveable objects’ – some consolidation and a national strategy required
•    Use of dvd’s and training videos –EH, NHTG, SPAB
•    Value of role of Cathedral workshops – problem with schools, 14-16 year olds no longer admitted for work experience due to H&S issues
•    Dick Reid – doubts methodology of recruiting people for HLF training, give financial incentive to employers instead

31. Jeff Orton (Traditional Plasterer): Supplementary presentation on the History of Plastering

•    A plea to make us aware of the craftspeople that are around at the moment, they wont be here for ever and they are no use in eternity.
•    Value a lifelong experience, currently greatly undervalued.
•    Respect needs to be shown for the craftsman’s knowledge.

Session Six: Best Practice: Promoting Skills (Chair: Michael-Montague Smith, Chair, Carpenters’ Company Crafts & Education Committee)

32.  Andie Harris (North East Regional Skills Coordinator, North of England Civic Trust): North East Heritage Skills Initiative – The First Steps

•    The creation and make up of the HIS/NE.
•    The funding framework
•    A profile of the region
•    The value of mapping the training activity and provision
•    Delivering training and piloting activity in the regions
•    The value of the NE model

33.  Charles Anelay (Projects Director, William Anelay Limited)
•    The contractors personal view point:
•    How they do it and what they do
•    All activity is totally market driven
•    The evolution of a family business – its growth and response to market forces
•    Respect for the management function of the contractor
•    Endless organisations
•    Heard it all before
•    Doesn’t make any difference
•    Can’t get own act together
•    Poor general management skills
•    Low respect for available training
•    Promote skills in a wider context
•    Never forget the client pays the bills
•    Time. Quality. Value for money. Existing fabric. Context. Hitting the budget.
•    The commercial imperative –reality
•    Chose the right contractor
•    Make it a level playing field and make prequals meaningful and fair
•    Right form of contract – it outlines the battle field and thinks about who holds the risks
•    Real opportunities for learning – practical, on-site
•    Summary of issues for promoting skills – 11key points
•    The industry is willing to change

34. Canon Peter Lyddon (Salisbury Cathedral): The Cathedrals’ Perspective
•    Cathedrals Workshop Fellowship – York
•    8 out of 42 Anglican cathedrals with own workshops – 14 apprentice stonemasons
•    Strategy based on the actual needs of the individual cathedrals
•    Funding issues when considering the massive contribution they make to the tourism economy
•    Workshops as centres of excellence

Read Peter Lyddon’s paper (PDF)

35. Q&A session

•    (Unable to capture)

36. Summary and Conference Action Plan (Paul Simons, Executive Committee Member, NHTG)

37. Conference Thanks to ICOMOS-UK, NHTG, ConstructionSkills and The Prince’s Foundation.

-Conference ends-