For someone considering a career in the historic trades, there is no substitute for seeing the work firsthand.
That is why The Campaign for Historic Trades recently connected participants in the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP) with four employers participating in The Campaign’s Preservation Trades Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP). Over the course of two days, participants visited preservation trades businesses, met tradespeople and apprentices, learned about their work, and got hands-on experience in professional trade environments.
The visits were organized by The Campaign’s Deputy Director, Jordan Riggs, as part of The Campaign’s work to connect pre-apprenticeship participants with pathways into registered apprenticeship careers.
Connecting Training with Career Opportunities
Over two days, four businesses participating in The Campaign’s Preservation Trades Registered Apprenticeship Program opened their doors to TTAP participants:
- Wagner Roofing, where participants met owner Dean Jagusch and People and Culture Manager Joana Llompart.
- Mozer Works, where participants met owner Neil Mozer and apprentice Robert Heald.
- Fitzgerald Heavy Timber, where participants met owner Dean Fitzgerald.
- Durable Restoration, where participants met Preservation Director Julie Butler and Branch Operations Manager Logan Altrichter.
The participating TTAP participants included Jack Frazier and Natalie Klein, who are based at Fort McHenry, and Nicole Ferguson, who is based at the C&O Canal.
The visits gave participants the opportunity to see what a career in the preservation trades can look like beyond a training program. Instead of simply hearing about an occupation, they could see the workplaces, meet the people doing the work every day, ask questions, and get a better sense of what it means to work in the field.
For aspiring tradespeople, those personal connections can be just as valuable as the hands-on experience.
An Opportunity for Employers, Too
Employer site visits are not only beneficial for TTAP participants. They also give employers and tradespeople an opportunity to share their work with aspiring tradespeople and introduce them to the skills, techniques, and experiences that shape a career in the historic trades.
By opening their doors, employers could offer participants a closer look at their projects, workplace environments, and day-to-day work while sharing their knowledge and experience. These conversations also allowed participants to connect with experienced tradespeople and apprentices, learn from their experiences, and ask questions about pursuing a career in the field.
Building these connections benefits both aspiring tradespeople and the employers who will help shape the future of the historic trades workforce. Opportunities to meet face-to-face can spark interest in a particular trade, encourage participants to explore new career paths, and help employers connect with the next generation of preservation professionals.
Strengthening the Historic Trades Workforce
The Campaign for Historic Trades works to expand and strengthen careers in the historic trades by connecting aspiring tradespeople with training opportunities, employers, and pathways into registered apprenticeship.
Experiences like these employer visits help make those connections tangible. By opening their doors and sharing their knowledge, preservation trades businesses give participants a clearer picture of the opportunities available to them and the skills needed to pursue those careers.
Just as importantly, these visits highlight the people behind historic preservation: the tradespeople whose expertise and craftsmanship help maintain historic buildings and pass traditional skills on to the next generation.
A big thank you to all of the businesses who opened their doors to our TTAP participants, as well as everyone who helped make these visits possible. Their time, expertise, and commitment to creating pathways into the trades play an important role in strengthening the historic trades workforce.