North of England Civic Trust (NECT) has commenced its recruitment for the 2012-13 intake of Engineering Heritage Skills Initiative (EHSI) trainees, as successful applicants will be in place in April 2012, with a closing date for applications for the 2012-13 bursary placements at 17.00 on Thursday 26th January 2012 while the traineeships will start on Monday 2nd April 2012 and end on Friday 29th March 2013.
EHSI states:
Some of the region’s specialist engineering heritage skills are being passed on to a new generation, to ensure that the North East’s industrial history will be preserved for the future. Thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Skills for the Future programme, and in collaboration with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, we are offering 24 bursary placements over 3 years to learn practical engineering heritage skills.?? The training programme provides participants with varied skills, including the repair and maintenance of steam engines and trams and skills to maintain examples of Victorian industry, such as mining and water pumping equipment.
Iain Watson, acting director, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums says:??’The North East is famed as the birthplace of the railway and the region’s fortune was made through mining, shipbuilding and marine engineering. However we have reached a stage now where former miners and engineers are aging or retiring and vital skills to preserve our industrial collections are dying out. The Skills for the Future programme not only addresses this skills gap head on, but it enables a new generation to gain first hand experience working alongside expert older workers, develop their practical skills and contribute to the maintenance and preservation of some of the most important industrial heritage exhibits in the North East.’
Information about our 2012-13 placements:
Mechanical Engineering Placement, Beamish
The EHSI Mechanical Engineering placement at Beamish Museum will involve assisting in the maintenance and conservation of the trams and other vehicles used on site at the award- winning Living Museum of the North, Beamish. Working under the tutelage of a fully qualified mechanical engineer, the EHSI trainee will develop the skills to maintain and conserve period and replica trams, buses and other vehicles (including an understanding of conservation guidelines) and learn how to interact meaningfully with the public who have an interest in traditional skills and machinery.
Steam Engineering Placement, Beamish
The EHSI Steam Engineering placement at Beamish Museum will assist in the maintenance and conservation of the heritage transport stock at the award-winning Living Museum of the North, Beamish. Working under the tutelage of a fully practised restoration expert, the student will develop the skills to maintain and conserve items of heritage transport and supporting infrastructure, including an understanding of conservation guidelines, developing the responsibility for running machinery and learning how to interact meaningfully with the public who have an interest in traditional skills and machinery.
General Engineering Placement – Locomotion
A placement is available to learn on the job by partaking in the daily activities of the National Railway Museum Shildon:Locomotion. As well as working on the rolling stock of the museum under the supervision of highly qualified engineers, the EHSI trainee will engage with the public visiting the museum. This placement will include restoration and conservation work, as well as painting, assembly and disassembly, planning and photographic tasks and work on live steam operating locomotives.
Part-time Heritage Boat Building Placement – NE Maritime Trust
The EHSI placement at the North East Maritime Trust is our only part-time placement. For three days a week the trainee will work alongside experienced and enthusiastic volunteers, skilled in the restoration and conservation of traditionally built wooden boats. The work involves long-term restoration projects as well as the maintenance of the Trust’s fleet of restored boats.
Joinery, Metalwork and General Engineering Placement – Stanegate Restoration
Conservation and restoration of historic train carriages, including participation in current and future projects at Stanegate Restoration and Replicas Ltd. Undertaking work to restore and repair heritage items. This will include carpentry and joinery, basic welding, steel metalwork, painting and finishing and use of conservation materials.
General Engineering Placement – Tanfield Railway
The trainee will take part in a wide variety of engineering projects at Tanfield Railway, the oldest existing railway in the country. These will include the reassembly locomotives and participation on a construction project. In addition, the placement student will take part in general site and repair maintenance and assist in public open days.
Commercial Vehicle Engineering Placement – Vintage Vehicles, Shildon
The EHSI Placement at Vintage Vehicles will be working on the maintenance and conservation of the museum’s collection of commercial and other vehicles housed at the Shildon site. Working under the tutelage of the museums owner, the EHSI trainee will develop the skills to maintain, conserve/restore to appropriate heritage standards the vehicles in the collection and learn how to interact meaningfully with members of the general public who have an interest in traditional skills and machinery.
Heritage Railway Engineering Placement – Weardale Railway
The EHSI trainees at Weardale Railway Trust will take part in a wide variety of engineering projects including the restoration of heritage steam/diesel locomotives and the railway’s rolling stock. In addition, trainees will be involved in running repairs and planned maintenance. They will be expected to participate in the in public events and train operation to widen their experience.
For details see: LINK
An application form can be downloaded at: LINK
or contact Kevin Malone: kevin.malone@nect.org.uk; 07787699159
