The National Heritage Training Group presented alarming evidence of skills shortages at a regional seminar held at the National Stone Centre in Wirksworth at the end of October.

The evidence comes from the report, Traditional Building Crafts Skills, that was published by the National Heritage Training Group (NHTG) in June (see NSS July issue).

The NHTG is a specialist sector skills development group set up in 2003 and run with the support and funding of English Heritage and CITB-Construction Skills. It comprises contractors, trade unions, training providers and heritage bodies. It has a UK-wide remit to develop training and skills provision for the traditional building sector.

The East Midlands conference marked the regional launch of the Traditional Building Crafts Skills report that shows 32% of contractors in the East Midlands (higher than the national average) have outstanding vacancies and 73% cite a lack of skills as a reason for finding it difficult to recruit people.

The National Stone Centre where the seminar started is an independent educational charity based on the edge of the Peak District. Its aim is to tell all aspects of the story of stone and the seminar programme included demonstrations there of dry stone walling, carving, lime rendering, masonry and stone slate roofing - some of the skills that are in short supply for maintaining the built heritage of the country.

Ian Thomas, director, explained the training role of the Centre, explaining that in addition to its popular schools and visitor services, which began in 1990 and which draw groups from all over the country, it works with a wide range of government, industry and academic partners to provide design, training, advice, statistical and reference material on stone.

From the Stone Centre the seminar moved to Cromford Mill in Matlock to discuss skills shortages in the region. It is intended that a regional craft skills action plan should emerge from those discussions.

Dr Anthony Streeten, the East Midlands director of English Heritage, provided an introduction to the discussion. He said skills shortages were a national issue with major regional implications. "We are delighted to support the National Stone Centre and the College of the Peak but we need a regional strategy to tackle the problem right across the East Midlands," he said.