The future of historic preservation depends on apprenticeships

By Sheilah Kast,

Published December 7, 2023 at 9:00 AM EST

The Maryland Department of Labor recently approved a new registered apprenticeship sponsored by The Campaign for Historic Trades. These apprenticeships will train a new generation of tradespeople to steward heritage sites. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center. — The Maryland Department of Labor recently approved a new registered apprenticeship sponsored by The Campaign for Historic Trades. These apprenticeships will train a new generation of tradespeople to steward heritage sites. *Photo courtesy of the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center.*

From rowhomes in Baltimore to tobacco barns in Southern Maryland, the survival of historic buildings depends on training the next generation of masons, carpenters, and roofers.

We speak with preservationists and business owners, and hear about a national initiative to promote jobs in the historic trades.

Guests:
- Nicholas Redding, president and CEO of Preservation Maryland and The Campaign for Historic Trades
- Natalie Henshaw, director of The Campaign for Historic Trades and the owner of Henshaw Preservation, a window restoration and historic masonry company
- Darius Johnson, who is pursuing a graduate degree in preservation at Goucher College in Baltimore County
- Mae Bowley, executive director of Re:Purpose Savannah, a nonprofit focused on the salvage and reuse of historic buildings

Learn more:
- Labor study on the status of historic trades in the United States