The English Heritage Historic Environment Traineeship (HET) Scheme was established in 2008 to provide work-experience training in professional conservation skills in a planning and development context.  Since it was launched, fourteen trainee Historic Environment Managers have been recruited to the Scheme; 7 completed their 2 year work placements in 2010, and a further 7 are currently based in English Heritage’s national planning teams in our regional offices.

Trainees receive high-quality in-house and external training in historic environment management, enabling them to enhance both the depth of their specialist knowledge and the breadth of their inter-disciplinary skills.

At the end of their training the Historic Environment Managers are ready to meet the professional challenges presented within local authorities, agencies and other organisations managing the historic environment.  The second intake of trainees are due to complete their placements this Summer.

The HET Scheme aims to provide increased capacity for the sector.  The first 7 recruits to the Scheme successfully completed their placements in 2010; all have now secured relevant employment within the historic environment sector:

• Joanna Burton is a Heritage Consultant with Beacon Planning, an RTPI commended planning consultancy based in Cambridge with a heritage and urban design specialism.
• Lucie Carayon has joined the Ancient Monuments Society as their Casework Secretary; her position sees her advising on listed building cases, championing sensitive new design in historic settings and preventing unnecessary destruction.
• Claire Carey is European Marine Site Implementation Officer at Northumberland County Council where she is involved in conservation of both the historic and natural environment.
• Stuart Mee is working as Conservation Officer at Rhondda Cynan Taff County Borough Council, advising applicants on the suitability of development proposals affecting the historic environment, and contributing towards strategic programmes including Conservation Area Appraisals, local listing and buildings at risk.
• Emma Nelson is in post as Conservation Officer with the War Memorials Trust where she is providing conservation advice and administering their grant schemes.
• Clara Turlington is working as Building Conservation Officer at Ryedale District Council, providing guidance to the general public and other interested parties in relation to Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas.
• Alice Ullathorne has gone on to be Church Buildings Support Officer for Ripon and Leeds Diocese, one of the Inspired! Support Officer roles which aims to assist congregations in assessing the viability of their churches, finding ways to make them more sustainable and planning alterations and developments.

Plans to recruit a further intake of trainees have been put on hold due to cuts imposed by English Heritage’s CSR settlement last October.  As a consequence, recruitment to the HET scheme is currently suspended. English Heritage is committed to reinstating the HET scheme when practicable and will update these pages as plans develop.