Preservation Trades Education

Where do you go to learn the hands-on trade of preserving and maintaining historic buildings? Traditional Building revisited their 2005 exploration of the preservation trade education this April in an article by Gordon Bock. Find the full article here.

Bock discusses what a “preservation trade” is in a world where computers and power tools are standard issue. The conundrum is summed up succinctly by Barry Loveland as, “Whatever collection of trades and skills are needed to maintain and preserve an historic building.” An effective educational process for preservation trades is ideally accomplished with a three-prong process: academic knowledge (history, science, and math), vocational training in a hands-on environment (using tools and processes) and experiential training – working on real jobs to round out the classroom skills.

The preservation trade schools, defined as programs which span a year or more, are broken into two categories: long-running education programs (twenty years or more) and newer programs. Each is discussed briefly, giving some impression of the general skills and hands-on opportunities available at each location, as well as the certificates and/or degrees offered. Other noteworthy programs and contact information round out the article.

If you are looking for a program to further enrich your preservation know-how, perhaps one of these schools can provide the training you need.

Visit Traditional Building online at www.traditional-building.com.

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