The visit on Monday 5 May highlighted the crucial role that heritage skills - such as stonemasonry, thatching and blacksmithing - play not only in protecting Scotland’s historic buildings, but in supporting green jobs, boosting local economies and helping the country meet its net-zero ambitions.
At the centre, based at Elgin Cathedral, Mr Lochhead met first-year apprentices who are training in both traditional and modern masonry techniques. He toured the workshop, viewed demonstrations and had the chance to try his hand at limestone letter-cutting.
Scotland’s historic built environment is facing a skills crisis. With 20% of Scottish homes built before 1919, and up to 80% of the buildings that will be in use by 2050 already standing today - the need for specialist training in traditional skills has never been more urgent.
Heritage skills in Scotland need a serious boost. Fewer than 10 thatchers, just 5 stained-glass conservators, and declining numbers of stonemasons and architectural blacksmiths remain. With 68% of employers warning of a heritage skills shortage within five years, urgent action is needed. As demand to repair and retrofit traditional buildings surges, Scotland must rapidly scale up training to support its built heritage.
Graham Campbell, Skills Training Development Manager at HES, said:
“We were delighted to welcome Mr Lochhead to our Elgin centre and show him the fantastic work happening here. Traditional skills like stonemasonry are absolutely vital to maintaining and adapting Scotland’s historic buildings - and they offer meaningful, hands-on careers. It’s critical we invest in apprenticeships and training now more than ever to avoid losing this knowledge for good.”
Richard Lochhead MSP said:
“I really enjoyed my visit to Elgin Skills Training Centre with Historic Environment Scotland, where the team are developing the next generation of stonemasons.
“It was fascinating to hear about the work they do to support apprentices to learn their trade and to really hone their skills - I was hugely impressed by the craft already on display from those early on in their career.
“Although many of us associate stonemasonry with historic buildings like Elgin Cathedral, it's also vital in terms of preserving traditional buildings on our high streets and in our local communities.
It is so important that we continue to invest and support young people to go into these traditional industries.
Through its Skills Investment Plan, HES is working with the sector and industry to lead a national push to address the shortage - growing training capacity, attracting new talent, supporting job creation through projects like:
- The Heritage Skills at Risk Register HES partnering with the Institute of Conservation (Icon) to develop a risk register to identify, assess and classify endangered skills and highlight the traditional building and heritage skills most at risk of disappearing
- Scotland’s Centre of Excellence for Canals & Traditional Skills, recently announced for Falkirk in partnership with Scottish Canals - the new training centre, focused on traditional skills, has secured £3.7m of National Lottery support
Find out more about our traditional skills training and careers.
About Historic Environment Scotland (HES)
- We are the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. It is at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future, investigating and recording architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland and caring for more than 300 properties of national importance. We are also the lead on delivering Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.
- Historic Scotland, Scran, Canmore, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, and Edinburgh Castle are sub-brands of HES.
- View our press pack and keep up to date by registering to receive our media releases. Already registered? You can unsubscribe at any time by following the unsubscribe link, included in every email.
Follow HES
Facebook: @HistoricEnvScotland | @VisitHistoricScotland
Instagram: @HistEnvScot | @historicscotland
Blog
LinkedIn
For further information, please contact:
Julia Woolman
Historic Environment Scotland Media Office
07881 512 379
communications@hes.scot