For Parents & Teachers
Supporting your young person into heritage crafts
Whether you're a parent, carer, teacher, or careers adviser - here's what you need to know about CraftGate.
Register a young personFor Parents & Carers
Safe and supervised
Every host is vetted, insured, and holds appropriate DBS certificates. Under-18 placements require parental consent and comply with working time legislation for young workers.
A genuine qualification
Students earn the CraftGate Foundation Award on completing their pathway and placement. This is the first recognised heritage qualification on their CV.
A secured destination
CraftGate’s model is destination-focused. Before your child’s placement ends, we work with them and their host to confirm what comes next - an apprenticeship, a traineeship, or a direct employment offer.
Questions parents ask
Is there any cost?
No. Students use CraftGate entirely free of charge. Travel costs are covered by a bus pass equivalent.
Will they be paid?
Placements are unpaid pre-apprenticeship learning. The secured destination that follows - apprenticeship or employment - is paid.
What if my child is under 18?
Under-18 students complete a parental consent process during registration. Host organisations hold young worker risk assessments. Working hours comply with legislation for young workers.
What will they come away with?
The CraftGate Foundation Award, a written reference from their host, and a confirmed pathway to an apprenticeship or employment.
Are the host organisations reputable?
Current seed hosts include Westmoor Stoneworks Trust, Brookehaven Estate Trust, Wansford House Conservation, Marshfield Hall and Ravenmere Castle. All hosts are vetted before listing.
What if they change their mind?
That’s fine. The e-learning modules remain available. A second placement in a different craft is always an option.
Who do I contact if I have a concern?
Email us at office@craftgate.org - we take every concern seriously.
For Teachers & Careers Advisers
No tuition debt
University now costs £9,535/year. A heritage apprenticeship pays you to learn. The lifetime earnings difference matters.
Genuinely endangered
These crafts are on the Heritage Crafts Association red list. Students entering the sector are not competing for a shrinking pool of jobs - they are filling a gap that has no other solution.
Environmental relevance
Heritage crafts work with lime, stone, timber, earth and reed. Zero embodied carbon. Repair over replacement. For students motivated by environmental issues, this is the most practical form of sustainable construction.
Suited to spatial and tactile learners
Heritage craft careers require three-dimensional thinking, problem-solving in context, and the ability to read materials with your hands. These are not academic deficits - they are exactly the skills the sector needs.
Salary progression is real
Entry from £18,000–£22,000. Qualified specialist £30,000–£45,000. Self-employed master craftspeople earn considerably more.
How to refer a student
Point them to craftgate.org
They browse craft pages and find a track that interests them
They complete Module 1 of their chosen track free - no account needed
They register (free) and continue Modules 2–6
On completion, their placement application unlocks
CraftGate secures a secured destination before the placement ends
Subject curriculum links
Download the CraftGate Teacher Pack
Everything you need to introduce CraftGate to students, parents, and colleagues.
- •One-page overview
- •Craft careers reference sheet
- •Curriculum links
- •Module 1 viewing guide
- •Student referral steps
- •Contact information
Talk to us
If you have a question we haven't answered here, we'd like to hear it.
Email office@craftgate.org