“Historic buildings of all kinds – from modest homes to ornate municipal buildings – rely on the specialized skill of preservation tradespeople,” said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League of NYS. “There is so much opportunity to expand the workforce within this field, providing an enriching career path to individuals who will steward our historic resources into the future.

Workforce Development Programs

Bridge to Crafts Careers
This 10-week paid internship program operates at both Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn and Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. Participants learn how to care for monuments and buildings made of marble, granite, and limestone. The mission of the program is to prepare participants for entry-level positions in the masonry trade. Learn more about the Green-Wood program here and the Woodlawn program here.

Newburgh YouthBuild (NBYB)
NBYB is dedicated to putting young adults in Newburgh, NY aged 16-24 on the path to success. The program includes construction and CMA certifications, job skills training, job placement services, high school equivalency and a safe environment where students are positively encouraged to become leaders in their communities. Learn more here.

Assembly House 150’s SACRA Program
SACRA (Society for the Advancement of Construction Related Arts) is an 8-week skill-building program in the construction trades that prepares adults ages 18+ for careers in construction-related fields. Students work on creative, hands-on projects in the Buffalo community, gain exposure to career paths through workshops led by industry professionals, and visit worksites and landmarks throughout the city. SACRA facilitates job placement for all program graduates. No prior experience in construction is necessary. Attend at no cost. Most participants are eligible for full-tuition scholarships and weekly cash grants. Learn more here.

National Trust for Historic Preservation HOPE Crew
Since 2014, HOPE Crew (which stands for Hands-On Preservation Experience) has completed 175 projects and trained more than 802 young people — including veterans — and engaged over 3,750 volunteers in historic preservation trades. In the years since its founding, HOPE Crew has continued to train young people, while expanding its focus on rebuilding historic trades through research, and providing avenues for the use of digital tools to document and preserve historic places. Learn more here.

The Campaign for Historic Trades
The Campaign for Historic Trades is a dynamic workforce development program to expand and strengthen careers in the high demand field of historic trades. The Campaign is a program of Preservation Maryland, in partnership with the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center. Dedicated staff within the broader organization of Preservation Maryland work on this program, which operates on a national level.

For a more complete nationwide listing of preservation trades classes, workshops, volunteer events, and employment opportunities, check out The Campaign's Opportunities page.

Trades Training Workshops

Located in East Nassau, NY, Historic Eastfield Village is a campus of more than twenty historical buildings that are used to serve as a laboratory for the Annual Series of Early American Trades and Historic Preservation Workshops, a nationally renowned program of lectures, symposia and hands-on classes. Information about their upcoming workshops can be found here.

Through the teaching of building skills, the Ithaca-based Hammerstone School empowers women and non-women alike to use their bodies and minds for creative and useful ends. Through their workshops, they aim to increase the number of women carpenters. More info here.

The Heartwood School in Alstead, NH, is focused on providing robust, student-centered education and training in timber framing and traditional trades. Learn more about their courses and apprenticeship program here.

Blake Hill House - Window Camp at Silver Lake Institute
Hosted by Stacy Grinsfelder and Bradley Huber, this weekend-long workshop covers the entire window restoration process. Learn more.

Other Resources

To connect with Preservation Tradespeople in your area, reach out to your local Preservation organization. You can find a list of regional Preservation Colleagues here.