MORE than 600 youngsters from across Scotland participated in Heritage Careers Week 2025, which showcased a range of careers from conservation and archaeology to digital innovation and traditional crafts.
Organised by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) for the second time, the programme featured a mix of online and in-person events. Highlights included a careers fair at Edinburgh Castle and a skills taster day at The Engine Shed in Stirling, where dozens of school pupils engaged with traditional craft experts. Caerlaverock Castle also hosted a live skills demonstration, giving young people in Dumfries and Galloway the chance to see heritage skills in action.
The Engine Shed, HES’s building conservation centre, hosted the skills taster event with schools from across the Forth Valley. In collaboration with more than 20 employers and Developing the Young Workforce, 65 young people had the opportunity to take part in demonstrations including heritage science, thatching, blacksmithing, digital skills, and stained glass.
Catherine Cartmell, skills investment plan manager at HES, said, “Heritage Careers Week helps people discover the diverse range of jobs available in Scotland’s heritage sector. These events give young people and adults a chance to get hands-on, meet the experts, and see how traditional skills continue to shape Scotland today. We’re facing a real shortage of these skills, but we hope this week’s activities will inspire the next generation to explore careers in the industry and keep these vital skills alive for years to come. History will soon be in the hands of the next generation.”
HES said heritage skills are essential in future-proofing Scotland’s historic sites and, in response to skills shortages, events like this aim to spark interest among young people and encourage them to consider careers in traditional skills.
Leona Hepburn, principal teacher for positive destinations and transitions at Falkirk High School, said, “Events like these give the pupils hands-on experience so that they can have a go at different trades, bringing the subjects to life. It’s really important that events like these continue and we get more of them, because they build the picture for young people; it makes them see the jobs that are real and tangible, and not just the classroom environment.”
For information on how to get involved with Historic Environment Scotland’s upcoming training and skills opportunities, visit www.historicenvironment.scot/learn/skills-and-training/
