A pair of workers in PPE repoint a landscape wall from a scaffold.
Conservation work at Warley Place in Brentwood, Essex. © Historic England Archive View image record DP313190
Conservation work at Warley Place in Brentwood, Essex. © Historic England Archive View image record DP313190

Heritage Specialist Training and Qualifications

Working with older and historic buildings requires a specific set of skills and expertise, so it is important contractors and craftspeople have training and qualifications to prove their competence. This section provides information on current training, qualifications and other skills development opportunities for early career and existing professionals in heritage construction skills.

Research has shown that around 89% of companies working on traditional buildings consider themselves general construction firms not heritage specialists. Historic England is keen that content on the characteristics of traditional (pre-1919) buildings is included in all construction training.
On this page
  1. Training and Qualifications
  2. Promoting a Skilled and Qualified Workforce

Training and Qualifications

These heritage specialist qualifications and standards are designed by industry. These include qualifications aimed at addressing current issues affecting the heritage sector, such as training on energy efficiency measures. Please note that Historic England are not directly involved with the delivery of these qualifications.

The main heritage specialist qualification is currently the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Heritage Skills (Construction). This qualification has a number of pathways which cover many different construction trades, and content which focuses on heritage specific skills and training.

General / Cross-Occupational

  1. Level 3 Award in Understanding Repair and Maintenance of Traditional pre-1919 Buildings
  2. Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency Measures for Older and Traditional Buildings
  3. Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Construction Site Supervision (Construction) Traditional and Heritage Building
  4. Level 5 Apprenticeship Heritage Construction Specialist
  5. Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Construction Site Supervision (Construction) Traditional and Heritage Building

Woodworking

  1. Level 2 NVQ Diploma Wood Occupations (Construction) – Heritage Architectural Joinery
  2. Level 2 NVQ Diploma Wood Occupations (Construction) - Heritage Site Carpentry
  3. Level 2 NVQ Diploma Wood Occupations (Construction) - Heritage Structural Post And Beam Carpentry
  4. SAP Heritage Wood Occupations
  5. Level 3 Diploma Underpinning Knowledge for Heritage Skills (Construction): Traditional Wood Occupations
  6. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Wood Occupations
  7. Level 3 Apprenticeship Craft Carpentry and Joinery

Masonry

  1. Apprenticeship Stonemason Level 2
  2. SAP Heritage Mason
  3. Level 3 Diploma Underpinning Knowledge for Heritage Skills (Construction): Traditional Craft Masonry
  4. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Brick Worker
  5. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Dry Stone
  6. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Earth Builder
  7. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Mason
  8. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Finisher
  9. Level 3 City & Guilds Assured Stonemasonry Heritage
  10. Level 3 Apprenticeship Craft Bricklayer

Roofing

  1. Level 2 Apprenticeship Thatcher
  2. SAP Heritage Metal Roofing Specialist
  3. SAP Heritage Hard and Soft Metals Roofing Operative
  4. SAP Heritage Lead Roofing Specialist
  5. SAP Heritage Roof Slating and Tiling
  6. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Roof Slating and Tiling
  7. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Lead and Hard Metal Roofing and Cladding
  8. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Thatching

Plastering

  1. Level 2 Apprenticeship Plasterer
  2. SAP Heritage Solid Plastering
  3. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Fiborous Plastering
  4. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Solid Plastering

Painting and Decorating

  1. Level 2 NVQ Diploma Decorative Finishing and Industrial Painting Occupations (Construction) Heritage Painter
  2. Level 2 Apprenticeship Wall and Floor Tiling
  3. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Facade Preservation
  4. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Decorative Occupations
  5. Level 3 NVQ Diploma Heritage Skills (Construction) Wall and Floor Tiling
  6. Level 4 Apprenticeship Stained Glass Craftsperson

Metalwork

  1. Level 2 BTEC in Blacksmithing
  2. Level 3 BTEC in Blacksmithing and Metalwork
  3. Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Heritage Skills (Construction) Heritage Metalwork
  4. Level 3 Apprenticeship Blacksmith

Work-Based Training

Further opportunities to undertake work-based training in heritage skills can be found on our Traditional Skills Training Programmes page.

Promoting a Skilled and Qualified Workforce

Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards can demonstrate that the holder has the right skills to work on historic and traditional (pre-1919) buildings. Gold Skilled Worker cards are available for a range of traditional building skills occupations. A CSCS card may be required to work on certain heritage projects.

Completion of the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Heritage Skills (Construction) qualifies you to apply for the Gold Skilled Worker CSCS card.

You can find out more information about the card, qualification and training requirements, and other information on applying on the CSCS website.

Also of interest

Heritage Apprenticeships
The Heritage Building Skills Programme
Building Conservation Masterclasses
Conservation Accreditation for Professionals