<NPÚ v Telči offers an educational program for craftsmen</NPÚ>

Telč (Jihlava region) - The office of the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) in Telč will launch an educational program for the Craft Restoration of Historical Buildings this November after last year's pilot year. Up to a hundred craftsmen can participate. Graduates will receive a certificate that they can present when applying for jobs in the restoration of cultural heritage sites. The courses will last until the middle of next year.
    "This is the first course of its kind in the Czech Republic. Last year's pilot year demonstrated that there is interest in this field," said the project's expert guarantor Martina Indrová, director of the NPÚ office in Telč.
    Participants will gain knowledge in eight craft courses for the professions of bricklayer, plasterer, stonemason, painter and varnisher, carpenter, roofer, blacksmith, and pipe fitter. They will become familiar with both contemporary and traditional methods of restoring cultural heritage. They will acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for the restoration of historical buildings that go beyond the usual qualified craftsman work and form a bridge to the work of restorers.
    The ninth course entitled Heritage Care and Preparation and Implementation of Heritage Restoration is intended for owners and administrators of heritage sites, construction managers, and officials. It will introduce them to the foundations of heritage care, its history, and provide them with basic orientation in practical care for architectural heritage, including field education.
    The practical part of the project, which the organizers place greater emphasis on, will take place in the first half of next year at the chateaus in Brtnice, Červená Řečice, and Uherčice in the South Moravian Region. Craftsmen will work on tasks such as refurbishing baroque castle windows and repairing historic plasterwork.
    Last year's pilot year successfully graduated 80 participants. In addition to new contacts and experiences, they gained a better position in the job market, according to Indrová. "Heritage sites have also gained new supporters capable of employing traditional methods and technologies in their restoration. I believe this will help preserve our historical heritage and its authenticity," Indrová added.