Communities Minister Gordon Lyons visited the Department’s Moira Depot to meet participants on the All-Ireland Heritage Skills Programme and apprentices who are helping to protect Northern Ireland’s historic environment for future generations.

The Department for Communities is delivering the programme in partnership with The King's Foundation, National Museums NI, the Construction Industry Training Board NI (CITB NI) and the Heritage Council; UK participants are funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Eight trainees are undertaking a 12-month mix of formal instruction and on-site placements with experienced craftspeople, leading to an NVQ delivered through the Department's Northern Ireland Heritage Skills Centre at Moira.

During the visit, the Minister also met apprentices and staff from the Department's Conservation Works Team (CWT), which undertakes specialist conservation and maintenance at State Care Monuments. Recent work included repairs to two cannons removed from Carrickfergus Castle in July 2025, completed by conservation specialists based at Moira together with new HED apprentices. These are the first of the castle's cannons to receive treatment, with all remaining pieces scheduled for repair by March 2027.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: "Our historic buildings and monuments are an important part of our shared heritage and identity. Protecting them for future generations requires highly skilled craftspeople with specialist conservation expertise.

"The All-Ireland Heritage Skills Programme is an excellent example of organisations working together to develop those skills, providing valuable training opportunities while helping to address future skills needs across the heritage sector. "I was delighted to meet participants on the programme along with the apprentices who are developing their expertise through this programme and through the work of our Conservation Works Team. Their commitment and enthusiasm give me great confidence for the future of heritage conservation.

"This investment demonstrates our commitment not only to protecting our historic environment, but also to creating high-quality training and employment opportunities. I am particularly pleased to see increasing participation by women in conservation and construction-related trades, helping to build a more diverse and inclusive workforce."

Investment in the CWT has enabled the recruitment of eight apprentices — the first intake in 25 years — with a further three to be recruited shortly. The intake includes the team's first female apprentices, stonemason apprentice Jennifer West and joinery apprentice Caoimhe Sherlock. The team has also appointed its first female qualified tradesperson, Erin McKnight, a painter and decorative finisher and graduate of a previous All-Ireland Heritage Skills Programme.

The Department has worked with organisations including CITB NI and Women's Tec to promote career opportunities for women in construction and heritage conservation trades.

Lyons also viewed new plant and equipment purchased through departmental capital investment. The upgrades have boosted operational efficiency and supported urgent health and safety works at sites including Enniskillen, Slieve Gullion and Movilla Abbey, reducing reliance on external contractors and improving value for money.

The All-Ireland Heritage Skills Programme is being delivered across multiple cohorts from 2026–27 to 2029–30, with four participants from the UK supported by National Lottery funding and four from the Republic of Ireland supported by the Heritage Council.