High up on the steep hillside above the mountain village of Dovre, Rudolf Sarromaa works long days, mostly by himself. Here, the apprentice builds a new veranda on a cottage in traditional style. – This is the very best I know. To use both hands and head. I’ve liked that since I was a little boy, says Rudolf. The 18-year-old has been carpentry since he was 8 years old and got to try his hand in his grandfather’s workshop. Now there is enough to do. Both in Dovre and other municipalities in the interior, which have the most preserved and protected houses of all the counties. APPRENTICE AND MASTER: Steinar Moldal has been a carpentry teacher and foreman at a craft company for almost 30 years. He wants more people like Rudolf into the profession. Photo: Even Lusæter / news New strategy for crafts The number of houses in need of restoration and repair is increasing. While the number of craftsmen is decreasing. And that applies to the whole country. There is a particularly large shortage in Northern Norway and Western Norway. There is a lack of masons and painters. And there is a lack of people who know traditional crafts in the carpentry trade. In addition to the fact that very few people are trained for a number of small crafts that are about to disappear. As a woodcutter and blacksmith. This is confirmed by Steinar Moldal, who has had a craft company for 30 years. – Every year there are fewer of us who can restore old houses with the help of the old crafts, he says. The National Archives is also concerned. Therefore, they are in the process of creating a new craft strategy that will be ready in 2024. The strategy will mainly deal with how to ensure that more people choose to train in traditional crafts. And what is needed for them to stay in the profession. This is how students at Hjerleid Handverksskole in Dovre answer: Even Lusæter / news Sara Tietgen – One thinks schools like this are a good way to get more people to work in the industry. Even Lusæter / news Hans Gutubø – It could perhaps have been advertised more for such schools and invested more in them. Even Lusæter / news Edvard Alexander Aasen – If you are tired of school, it might be a good idea to do something practical. Even Lusæter / news Torgeir Auråen- If there had been more craft schools, there would have been more craftsmen too. A new craft strategy The National Antiquities Agency has sent out a proposal for a framework for a new craft strategy for consultation. The aim of the strategy is for owners and managers to have good and stable access to competent tradesmen to restore their preserved and conservation-worthy buildings, facilities and vessels. – We want to find out what the National Antiquities Agency can do to get more craftsmen to choose traditional crafts as a career path, says department director Turid Kolstadløkken. Three different themes have been proposed for the strategy: Strengthening craft expertise and capacity Better predictability for crafters Knowledge development Business, schools, museums, craft businesses, voluntary organizations are asked to say what they think. The deadline to respond is January 5. Craft development is a topic that cuts across several sectors. The Directorate of Education, the Directorate for Higher Education and Competence and the Directorate of Culture participated in the management of this strategic work, together with the Norwegian Association of Building Industry and the Norwegian Institute of Handicrafts. Resilience and climate change The Swedish National Antiquarian Administration spends over 450 million annually for the protection of preserved cultural heritage. In addition, all the churches that need maintenance come. The government has set aside NOK 10 billion in a new fund to preserve culturally and historically important churches over the next decades. – But it doesn’t help with money, if we don’t have people to do the work, says department director Turid Kolstadløkken at the National Archives. She is primarily responsible for preserving or protecting buildings and cultural heritage. But she thinks there are good reasons to take care of all old houses. Berekraft: Department director Turid Kolstadløkken at the National Antiquities Authority is leading the work with a new craft strategy. – In order to reduce climate emissions, new construction must be reduced. We must rather take care of the houses we have. Photo: Riksantikvaren – To reduce climate emissions, new construction must be reduced. We must rather take care of the houses we have. Secondly, our houses are also affected by climate change. Wear and tear occur more quickly. The construction market is changing, and the work on rehabilitation is increasing. These factors make it important to build up expertise in older building constructions. Now she hopes that the new strategy will provide an answer to how to get more people into the traditional crafts. The construction industry Byggenæra is completely in line with the Swedish National Antiquities Authority. Nina Eidem runs Building and Conservation, a department at Byggenæra’s national association which will contribute to older buildings being managed, used and maintained in a good way. Eidem believes that the market for rehabilitation will grow, and that more established craftsmen must therefore learn what is needed to take care of an old house. – We are in the process of having a renaissance for the craft, she says. And will encourage more people to orient themselves towards the traditional subjects, including those who run or work for ordinary construction companies. Today, there is, among other things, further education at Fagskular and NTNU offers a bachelor’s degree in traditional crafts. And many museums offer courses for those who want to specialize in old craft traditions. HJERLEID HANDICRAFT SCHOOL: Work is in full swing in the lafte hall. This year, the school has 65 students, and a large group of them are skilled in woodworking and carpentry. Photo: Even Lusæter / news Start early Rudolf Sarromaa spent his apprenticeship as a student at Hjerleid Handverksskole. Here he has been able to show what he can do, and learn more about what he is most interested in. – And it is probably an advantage to have done a lot of it before. It’s just like with music. If you want to be good, you have to start early and practice and practice, says Rudolf. He is supported by headmaster Helle Hundevadt. During the 20 years she has run the craft school in Dovre, she has experienced that students who have been involved in crafts before can have a big advantage. That is why she is eager to get more craft subjects in primary school as well. And she does something about it. Next year, the “Sløydskolen” starts at Hjerleid, a course for art and craft teachers in primary school. PRINCIPAL: Helle Hundevadt has rented Hjerleid Handverksskole for 20 years. Next year, he is offering sløyt teaching for art and craft teachers in primary schools. Photo: Even Lusæter / news Hjerleid Handverksskole Hjerleid Handverksskole in Dovre was started in 1886. Then as a “handicraft school for boys”. At that time, there were craft schools all over the country with the aim of taking care of folk art. And as a counterweight to industrialisation. The school became a vocational school in the 1950s and a secondary school in the 1990s. But with falling student numbers. Oppland County Council shut down the woodcarving and cabinetmaking line in 2003. Then the Norwegian Cultural Heritage Foundation started an independent school in the local area, to secure the woodcarving profession. And today the school at Dovre has Vg2 in woodwork, carpentry, traditional measuring, sewing and textiles and blacksmithing. And Vg3 wood cutters. The school is now owned by the Study Association for Culture and Tradition and the Foundation for Norwegian Cultural Heritage. The school can offer 90 pupil places, this year there are 64 pupils here. Hjerleid has a close collaboration with two other Norwegian craft schools, the Plus school in Fredrikstad and the Møbelsnekkerskolen in Mysen. Together, the three schools have chosen to call themselves cultural heritage schools. This is because the schools take a special responsibility to ensure small and protected trades. All three schools are proposed to receive state subsidies from 2024. 2.5 million to Hjerleid. Challenges the municipalities According to the curricula for the primary school, the municipalities can choose to offer, for example, bowel movement in the secondary school. And in the state budget, the government has proposed allocating NOK 127 million to a subsidy scheme for equipment and learning arenas for more practical, varied and relevant learning in school. – But nothing happens until it happens in the municipalities, says parliamentary representative Kari Anne Jønnes (H). She encourages the municipal politicians to take action. – If they do not ensure that there is an offer for craft subjects, either at school or in the cultural school, then the future of the craft subject is uncertain. What do you think about traditional crafts? It is important to take care of this knowledge 🔨 I don’t care that much 🤔 Show result
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