Foundation Certificate in Heritage Stonemasonry

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a distinctive one-year programme of work-based study, providing stonemasonry apprentices who have completed their Level 2 qualification in Stonemasonry with the chance to improve their skills, knowledge, and understanding of the cathedrals and other historic buildings they work on, whilst working and learning with our highly skilled stonemasonry team.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and passionate individual who is interested in heritage skills and historic buildings, who wants to develop their stonemasonry craft skills through this opportunity in order to care for and maintain historic buildings in future.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Genuinely interested in buildings, heritage, or construction
• Enthusiastic, reliable and keen to learn
• Able to follow instructions and work as part of a team
• Comfortable working at height and navigating the many Cathedral Stairwells
• Already holds a Level 2 qualification in Stonemasonry
• Aged over 16 with the right to live and work in the UK
• Has at least GSCE Maths and English to level 4/grade C

This opportunity is offered as a one-year contract to undertake the Foundation Certificate in Stonemasonry, as part of the Cathedrals’ Workshop Fellowship (CWF) programme. Training is primarily work-based at the Cathedral, along with training courses and visits to other CWF Cathedrals.

On completion of the Foundation Certificate, the successful candidate will be encouraged to apply to the CWF training program Level 4 & Level 5 Foundation degree in Applied Historic Building Conservation and Repair. This is a competitive process requiring a formal application and interview, if accepted onto the Foundation Degree, the apprentice will be contracted for an additional two years.
Funding for this role comes via the CWF and employment is linked to committing to the training at each stage. At the end of the training, there may be vacancies within the Cathedral masonry team but there is no guarantee of ongoing employment. However, on successful completion of the Foundation Certificate, the successful candidate will have become a skilful and competent mason, with transferrable skills and knowledge of best practice techniques applicable to historic buildings – countrywide or even globally.