34 Y e a r b o o k 2 0 1 1 required by historic buildings is far more prosaic. While the heritage CSCS card and the relevant NVQ give confidence that the mason you’re employing can do the job, there is no such guarantee when it comes to the M&E contractor, who wants to route his services through a building in the most direct way possible, regardless of what’s in his way. The reality is that we have to concentrate not only on developing the conservation skills of our staff and subcontractors, but also on developing an awareness of conservation principles with our more conventional trades. Conservation philosophy To manage and develop the conservation skills we need to undertake our work it is vital to establish a basic conservation philosophy: • historic fabric is important, should be treated with respect, and should be retained where possible • new work should be reversible • repairs should be honest • quality matters. This approach should underpin the work of every conservation contractor. At Robert Woodhead Limited it forms the basis of all training for our staff and subcontractors. Every member of staff receives a briefing on our conservation philosophy as part of their site induction, and ‘Toolbox Talks’ on this subject are given quarterly. This very simple approach has been particularly useful for the non-conservation trades, and it has delivered a measurable reduction in the kind of problems that can arise when the site manager’s back is turned. Staff development Our approach to staff development is, like that of many contractors, remarkably conventional. Apprentices are trained through a combination of on-site development and taught work at college and progress towards the basic minimum target of NVQ Level 3. This is one area where the additional emphasis on conservation skills has paid dividends, with apprentices now better able to display the wide range of skills needed. We also believe that continuous development is fundamental to the development of a successful workforce, whether through formal CPD, one-off courses, or simple on the job development. Quarterly staff appraisals are used to identify opportunities to develop staff skills, and training plans are agreed to manage the process. In recent years we’ve used a variety of routes for staff development. As well as on-site mentoring, staff have attended practical materials and techniques courses at local colleges focusing on limework, plastering, stonemasonry and leadwork. There is now a wide variety of such courses on offer and our experience has been that they are both useful and enjoyable for those who attend. It is important to recognise that development should not be restricted to site staff. Office-based staff who specify works and purchase materials for conservation projects need development too. We have recently started a programme to put our surveyors, estimators and project managers through the SPAB’s Repair of Old Buildings course. Integrating IHBC membership in staff development It would be fair to say that the IHBC has traditionally provoked a fair degree of head scratching among conservation contractors, who see the organisation as primarily for conservation officers, planners, architects and other equally suspicious creatures. We now believe that membership of the IHBC provides a framework to build and demonstrate competence in the management and practice of the conservation discipline on site. Through affiliate membership and the development and implementation of a training plan that leads to full membership, we aim to develop a team of site managers, project managers and surveyors who can lay genuine claim to the title of conservation professional. Your staff are your most important asset As competition for work becomes tougher and margins thinner, there is of course a tendency to look for places to cut, and the training budget is an obvious candidate. However, the statement ‘your staff are your most important asset’ has never been more true. It has never been easier to develop a skilled workforce and having one is essential to delivering the kind of conservation outcomes that produce repeat work. However, we focus on traditional crafts exclusively at our peril. I believe that one plumber who lacks conservation awareness can do more damage in a morning than half a dozen below average stonemasons. We must remember that these ‘conventional’ trades are vital to us, and that at present they will not hold a heritage CSCS card. Finally, we must remember that the people who manage our sites and projects are worth their weight in gold. It is vital that their skills are developed. Can IHBC membership provide the framework for that? Ask me again in two years and I’ll try to give you an answer. Simon Butler is head of the heritage and conservation team at Robert Woodhead Limited, a conservation contractor and historic building consultancy based in Nottinghamshire. He is also vice chair of the heritage group for the National Federation of Builders. Email sbutler@robert-woodhead.co.uk. Conservation and repair of the chapel ceiling at Cusworth Hall in South Yorkshire: this is the kind of thing that the word ‘conservation’ brings to mind, but far from everyday.
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