Heritage the Works: Delivery, Skills, & Value in Conservation

Summary: Heritage conservation is at its strongest when it is practical, affordable, and deliverable. Heritage That Works will reframe conservation as a sector defined not by exclusivity, but by collaboration and relevance. The conference in partnership with English Heritage hopes to bring together the full ecosystem of people who make heritage projects happen — project managers, site managers, QSs, engineers, craftspeople, apprentices, graduates, and specialists — many of whom have traditionally felt that conservation events were “not for them.” 

The conference addresses one of the sector’s constant challenges: the perception of conservation as elitist or inaccessible. If the future of heritage is to be inclusive and resilient, then early‑career professionals, emerging practitioners, and those working at the interface of heritage and construction must feel represented, welcomed, and equipped. 

Sessions will centre on the issues practitioners face every day, including navigating skills shortages; overcoming planning delays; working with traditional materials; learning from failures; and building collaborative teams capable of delivering complex projects. Alongside this, the programme will create space for early‑career voices and offer practical tools, templates, and insights that delegates can apply directly to their projects. 

Heritage That Works champions a shift towards relevance, value, and wider engagement — ensuring that conservation is not only about protecting the past, but about enabling people across the sector to deliver better, smarter, and more inclusive heritage outcomes. 

Please note:  

* If you are a Member of the CIOB, student or Apprentice, you can benefit from a preferential access rate, please contact the Academy at [email protected] * 

Price: £25 Member, £35 Non-Member