A major report on the state of the heritage crafts industry in the UK has shown that the sector generates £10.8billion annually, contributing £4.4billion in GVA to the UK economy, and that the sector is projected to grow by 12% in employment terms by 2022.
‘Mapping Heritage Craft was assembled by Creative and Cultural Skills in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Heritage Crafts Association, an Alliance member.
However, the report also shows that 77% of businesses in the heritage craft sector undertake no activities to spread their specialist knowledge outside their own workforce and that many small business owners cannot afford the time necessary to properly train apprentices.
Concerns were raised about a perceived ‘lack of interest’ in learning heritage craft skills and an aversion to ‘training up the competition’.
Kate Pugh, Chief Executive of the Heritage Alliance, said ‘The insights and the economic profile here are timely but the mapping quite rightly reminds us that creating new ways of passing on skills and knowledge is a responsibility that we neglect at our peril.’
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