Historic building conservation contractor DBR (London) Ltd has developed a three-year partnership with the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) to support the QEST scholarship programme.
Coinciding with this year's National Apprentice Week (6-12 February), the QEST/DBR scholarship enables those involved to further their craft skills in the preservation of the UK’s built heritage.
The scholarship programme is open to anyone looking to enhance their craft skills in built heritage, from stonemasonry and plasterwork to leadwork and joinery.
The successful candidates will receive a substantial bursary funded by DBR, which will go towards specialist training in their chosen field, from traditional college courses to vocational one-on-one training with a master craftsperson or a bespoke programme of short courses.
The scholarship is open to those aged 18 or older who can demonstrate a high level of skill and a strong body of work and experience in their chosen field.
Applications for the QEST/DBR Scholarship will open in July for an award in November 2023. Entries will be judged by a panel of QEST experts.
Adrian Attwood, DBR Executive Director, says: "This is an important development in our commitment to provide opportunities for the next generation of skilled craftspeople. As DBR is a Royal Warrant-holding company, QEST, as a charity of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, was our ideal partner, upholding the values of quality and excellence.
"We are extremely proud of our highly skilled craftspeople and this annual QEST/DBR scholarship will ensure our legacy to continue to support the future development of crafts skills in the UK."
Deborah Pocock, CEO of QEST, says: "DBR’s commitment to developing and sustaining craft skills makes them an ideal partner for QEST. We must all be concerned about passing on skills to the next generation and ensuring that we have appropriately trained individuals to conserve our built environment. We are grateful to DBR for enabling this annual scholarship."
DBR’s scholarship partnership with QEST represents the first step in a wider campaign, The Year of the Master Craftsperson (YMC), which seeks to promote the social and cultural importance of heritage conservation skills.
YMC’s wider aim is to celebrate current industry practitioners and the amazing work they do, as well as encouraging more young people to consider a career in this highly creative and rewarding sector.
Set to launch in the Spring, DBR's YMC campaign will showcase some of the UK’s most impressive conservation projects and the people involved in them, while offering practical guidance and advice for those considering a career in built heritage.
To find out more about the QEST scholarships and to express interest in applying, click here.