The Radcliffe Trust is very proud to collaborate with The Leche Trust to fund the first Wentworth Woodhouse Heritage Apprentice for his three year training programme.
Wentworth Woodhouse is one of the largest houses in Europe, it is a Grade I listed country house in the village of Wentworth, South Yorkshire. It was built between 1725 and 1750 and is currently owned by Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, who aim to use the restoration as a catalyst for positive change in South Yorkshire.
Dan Nicholson secured his apprenticeship in May 2022 and has been amazed at the variety of centuries-old skills which need to be used and preserved. Dan is learning about the huge demands of the entire site from Julie Readman, the Trust’s Facilities and Maintenance Manager, and is gaining additional knowledge alongside heritage tradesmen and contractors who come to work at the house.
The in-work heritage skills and apprenticeship scheme was launched with Historic England last year to tackle long-standing shortages in heritage skills such as carpentry, bricklaying and joinery, painting and decorating, plastering, roofing and stonemasonry. Dan’s apprenticeship provides a local young person with the opportunity to begin a career in the heritage sector.
CEO Sarah McLeod said: “The National Apprenticeship Scheme is a very successful way of bringing young talent into our team. We are very grateful to The Radcliffe Trust and the Leche Trust for granting us funds to train Dan, who is off to a great start as our first Heritage Skills Apprentice.”
This second apprentice ‘Oliver’ was very successful; and over the course of the three years of the apprenticeship he attended training onsite and online. The grant supported his salary, training, tools, travel and PPE.
Oliver has gone through a generic heritage programme, it has firmed his commitment to a career in heritage and has led to him gaining a full time role within the organisation. Wentworth Woodhouse project lead reported – ‘Oliver is a local young man who was unsure of his future career choices. He is from a low income family and left school with minimal qualifications. He is now employed as the Facilities Lead. This project has taught him how to care for heritage buildings, different techniques in maintaining and restoring historic buildings and most importantly the obligations we all have in protecting historic buildings when we are working in them. He simply could not have secured the role he now has without having gained the knowledge this project has given him.’
The Radcliffe Trust is delighted that this project was so successful and the Heritage and Craft skills learned along the way will be passed on.