Human Resources in Canada's Built Heritage Sector: Mapping the ...

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MAPPING THE WORK FORCE AND SETTING STRATEGIC PRIORITIES6. Regulation of Built Heritagein the United Kingdom and IrelandThis discussion focuses primarily on heritage regulation in the UK. A discussion of professional standardsin Ireland is included as there is longstanding integration of the relevant professions in the two countries.In UK, the statutory regime provides for grading and designating of properties as heritage assets. Thedegree of restriction on an owner depends on the grading of the property. The system of designation andgrading and the applicable controls are currently under review. In the main, heritage assets that taken intopublic ownership are administered by “national trusts.” There are separate trusts for England, Scotland,Northern Ireland and Wales. Additionally there are other heritage bodies focused on particular types ofhistoric buildings, such as churches. In many instances, the “national trusts” receive heritage properties asbequests to avoid the payment of inheritance taxes. Grants are available for heritage restoration undervarious programmes, notably the Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme and the Townscape HeritageInitiative. Both of these programmes focus on depressed areas. VAT relief and accelerated write-offs(as opposed to normal depreciation allowances) are available for converting redundant space over shopsfor letting. These have built on the concept of various LOTS schemes (living over the shop) adopted inprevious conservation-led urban regeneration projects.The UK is considering adoption of American-style tax incentives for private owners of heritage properties.The current system in the UK, however, restricts property tax abatements to properties which are open tothe public. Abatements of value-added-tax (VAT), currently at 17.5% is available for approved repairsto historic buildings.Regulation of Technical OccupationsFor trades and technical occupations, a system of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) applies. (InScotland a comparable system of SVQs applies.) Sector Skills Councils, which are overseen by the SectorSkills Development Agency, devise occupational and training standards for occupations within theirpurview. The Sector Skills Councils are employer-led. National Occupational Standards are developed forup to five levels within an occupation. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) oversees thisprocess and ensures broad commensurability across the various levels of qualification in an occupation,such that Level IV in one occupation involves approximately the same degree of training, experience andresponsibility as Level IV in another occupation. Training may be delivered by private or public collegesor industry bodies. The Sector Skills Councils designate “awarding bodies” to confer NVQs. Awardingbodies may be colleges, industry bodies or professional associations. NVQs are more than diplomas.NVQs are based on specified training or equivalent experience and an assessment of work experience.Demonstrated competence in a workplace is a requirement for NVQ designation. The overall system is theresponsibility of the Department of Skills and Education.In the built heritage sector, the Conference on Training in Architectural Conservation (COTAC) hasdeveloped and received approval for NVQ standards for:• Conservation Site Management (Level 3)• Conservation Control (Level 4), and• Conservation Consultancy (Level 5).©CULTURAL HUMAN RESOURCES COUNCIL31
HUMAN RESOURCES IN CANADA’S BUILT HERITAGE SECTORSkill standards for the conservation NVQs are explicitly based on the 1993 ICOMOS Guidelines forEducation and Training in the Conservation of Monuments, Ensembles and Sites. 13 NVQs are offered by theJoint Award Body partnership of Edexcel, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the Institution ofCivil Engineers (ICE) and COTAC.Regulation of Skilled TradesIn the UK, sector based training in the construction industry is delivered through the Construction IndustryTraining Board (CITB). Skilled trades have been incorporated into the NVQ system, described above. Whileoccupational standards for some trades make specific reference to restoration skills, this is not generally thecase. The “national trusts,” led by English Heritage, have focused on the shortage of skilled tradespersonswho are competent in the application of traditional building techniques. In December 2004, CITB-Construction Skills and English Heritage formed a subordinate organization within CITB-ConstructionSkills known as the National Heritage Training Group (NHTG). The NHTG is effectively a sector councilfor the heritage trades, although it is technically a subsidiary body of CITB-Construction Skills. The NHTGis governed by a body with representatives from the major trade contractors in the heritage field, trade unions,and representatives of English Heritage and other heritage bodies.The NHTG estimates that approximately 4% of the construction work force in the UK is experienced intraditional building techniques.The NHTG has identified 10 heritage trades for which the development of standards and appropriatetraining will be a priority:• Stone Masonry• Carpentry and Joinery• Roof Slating and Tiling• Bricklaying• Painting and Decorating• Plastering• Leadworking• Steeplejacking• Thatching• Craft MasonryThere may be aspects of the NHTG model that could be adapted to Canadian conditions.13 http://www.icomos.org/docs/guidelines_for_education.html. See Appendix E.32©CULTURAL HUMAN RESOURCES COUNCIL
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