Traditional building skills are being showcased in Falkirk’s historic town centre next week as part of the national Scottish Apprenticeship Week.
A free drop in event will be running at Falkirk Trinity Churchyard off Falkirk High Street on Friday 23 May between 9am and 4pm where visitors will be able to meet the apprentices and enjoy demonstrations in stonemasonry, joinery, roofing & painting and decorating.
The event is being run by Falkirk Council, Historic Scotland and Forth Valley College and is especially designed to encourage young people to think about a career in traditional building skills, as well as raising awareness of the skills that are so important in maintaining our historic environment.
Advisers will be on hand to explain the opportunities that are available and how to access apprenticeships locally. There will also be free advice on how using traditional methods and materials could enhance your own property and giveaways with information on the funding support that is available through Falkirk Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI).
Councillor Dennis Goldie, Falkirk Council’s spokesperson for Economic Development said: “We will be using traditional skills and materials to enhance many aspects of our historic town centre through Falkirk THI and the results will surely speak for themselves. We would actively encourage householders to consider using traditional methods and materials more giving more employment opportunities for our young people at the same time.”
John McKinney (NFRC Scotland Secretary) said: “Falkirk has a fantastic historical town centre and it is great to see its past being preserved using these traditional skills.For example, our lead roofing apprenticeship delivered at the Falkirk Campus of Forth Valley College is a first for Scotland. Skills like these can be lost but thankfully the support shown by agencies such as Historic Scotland,Falkirk council, and Forth Valley College means that they can be passed down the generations and we will be in a far better place to protect our heritage environment in the future.”
Local secondary schools are also visiting the project, with young people being given some hands on experience to try for themselves the skills needed.
The work is part of the wider £5m Falkirk THI regeneration project that aims to protect and preserve the many historical features of Falkirk’s town centre.
