Heritage Skills at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings
Caring for listed buildings, and the estimated 5.5 million traditional (pre-1919) buildings in England, requires particular skills and training. The conservation of Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings provides us with the opportunity to offer training and hands-on experience, using the site as a tool for learning.
What's been happening?
Between 2017 and 2020 we delivered a programme of heritage skills activities supported by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. Work placements, site tours and training events were targeted at all levels from students to industry professionals. With help from a wide range of partners the programme delivered benefits for local, national and international learners. Our partners included the building contractor Croft Building and Conservation Ltd, the professional team involved with the project and Shropshire Council.
As part of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership’s investment in the site, we are delivering a programme of work placements relating to the Flaxmill Maltings project. The placements will span project areas including construction, heritage management, public engagement and e-learning. Due to Covid-19 we have adapted the programme and are offering innovative online placements.
Image gallery
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Some of our highlights
Work based experience for young learners
- Students from Shrewsbury College, Telford College and further afield have gained work experience in carpentry, brickwork and roofing.
- Extended work placement in bricklaying as part of Shrewsbury College Group’s T Level placement pilot scheme.
Supporting the attainment of qualifications
- Prince's Foundation Building Craft Programme trainees gaining their Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Heritage Skills
- 30 participants achieved their Level 3 Award in Understanding Repair and Maintenance of Traditional Buildings, with tailored delivery for roofers and college construction lecturers
- Gleeds construction consultancy trainees gaining work-based experience towards their BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying
Attracting groups usually underrepresented in construction
- Tour of the roof works to look at its progress for Women in Roofing
- Historic England ethnic minority placement students visited the site as part of their internship at the Birmingham Office
The presentation and the tour were really amazing. The whole Flaxmill Maltings experience will stay with me for a long time and I will share this with my colleagues.
Promoting understanding of Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings
- Bespoke events for students from University of Leicester, University of Wolverhampton, University of Birmingham’s Ironbridge Institute, Birmingham City University and Nottingham Trent University
- A hands-on session in traditional brick making for Shrewsbury College bricklaying students
- A CPD event on Bat Mitigation in Traditional Buildings to understand the challenges of protecting wildlife during conservation projects
- Experts from National Heritage Ironwork Group ran courses on identifying problems in historic ironwork, selecting appropriate repair methods and how to get the best results from the tendering process
The students said it was the best visit they have had this academic year.
Upcoming opportunities
No current opportunities.
If you would like to be added to our mailing list to hear about placements as they become available, please email [email protected] with the subject line ‘work placement mailing list’.
Heritage Construction Skills Advice and Training
Specific knowledge of historic buildings is needed not only for construction professionals but also for those who live in one of the millions of older properties in England. Explore our guidance on how to maintain and repair historic buildings.
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