Cliveden Conservation is proud to support several apprenticeship schemes including the Prince’s Foundation and the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board).
In July 2017, Cliveden Conservation welcomed CITB apprentice Brandon Wood to the team. Brandon is studying for his Banker Masonry Level 2 qualification and has been gaining valuable experience working alongside the company’s most experienced conservators learning different skills.
Brandon shares his most challenging experience to date: “When I went to work on a Roman wall I learnt conservation at its highest level. You have to be so careful to avoid damaging the ancient structure.”
As part of their placement with Cliveden Conservation students work on heritage projects both in a workshop environment and onsite. “My best experience so far was working on a roof conservation project for a National Trust 16th century house,” says Brandon.
Once Brandon has completed his Banker Masonry Level 2 he hopes to specialise in the repair and replacement of stones using the skills he has acquired during his course and time spent with Cliveden Conservation. He encourages others who have an interest in history to pursue a career in conservation and highlights the merits:
“It’s a great experience and if you like history you will love it. Even though some bits of the job might seem hard work it is very rewarding to carry out repairs. You get to stand back and say, this is what I have achieved.”