Preservation Trades Initiative

The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance’s commitment to supporting the next generation of historic preservation professionals

Historic preservation would not be possible without the the people and business whose refined skillset in this unique field are able to make it a reality. Through years of training and experience, the passion for their work is showcased in the many buildings they help to restore, repair, and convert to fit the needs of the 21st century. However, we are facing a severe workforce shortage in these fields. The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance is addressing this pressing need through a multi-pronged approach including introducing old building specialties to high school students through week-long mini-internships, providing summer internship placements, and connecting with other preservation and guild-type groups engaged in their work, trades education programs, professional partners, and funding agencies.

Join the Next Generation of Trades Workers

Do you like to work with your hands, think creatively and solve tangible problems? Are you interested in saving and repurposing old buildings, conserving natural resources, or revitalizing old neighborhoods and special places? Then a career in the old building trades might be right for you!

There’s high demand across the Northeast for workers who are skilled at timber framing, carpentry, wood window repair, plastering, masonry, stonework, ironwork, slate/copper roofing, stained glass, painting, decorative finishes and more. 

People working in the preservation trades enjoy a 96% job satisfaction rate according to a recent research report and a severe workforce shortage in many specialties means plenty of available work as experienced professionals approach retirement. Whether you are a student, a career-changer, or an early-career trades worker, there is an array of free, paid and paying opportunities to explore. From saving old barns to rehabilitating old houses, you can master traditional skills and turn them into a rewarding career.

Wondering how to get started? Check out available opportunities below.

 

Immersive Week-Long Career Exploration in the Old Building Trades

This vacation-week program introduces people aged 16 to 21 to mentors with established careers restoring and reviving historic places, and to the skills and specialties needed for this exciting work. Participants engage in hands-on learning in a variety of in-demand trades including stone wall repair, slate/copper roofing, timber framing, carpentry, wood window restoration, and more. The program takes place at some of New Hampshire’s finest historic sites including Canterbury Shaker Village, Sanborn Mills Farm and Strawbery Banke Museum, as well as area job sites, during school vacation weeks in February and April. No experience necessary.

Applications for the 2026 school year are now open!

Application deadline: Friday, January 16, 2026 (Priority given to applications received by Friday, December 19, 2025)
Week 1: February 23 - 27, 2026
Week 2: April 27 - May 1, 2026

Apply Today!

Meet Career Professionals at our Upcoming Old House & Barn Expo

Our popular, biennial Expo will be held Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15, 2026 at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH. Explore the many booths to connect with a variety of trades professionals, including schools offering trades programming, and walk the show floor to watch live, hands-on demonstrations. Visit our Old House & Barn Expo page to keep up-to-date on registration information and other Expo-related topics as they become available. Students (18 and under) and volunteers get free admission! Want to get more involved by becoming a volunteer? Send us an email.

 

Join our Summer Networking Meetups

On Fridays during the summer, we invite potential next-gen workers, early-career workers, and mentors to join us at interesting historic sites and job sites across the state. Everyone has a chance to take behind-the-scenes tours and meet inspiring professionals at every stage of their careers. To learn more or to ask to join as a mentor or attendee, send us an email.

Pictured: A 2025 trip to visit Mascoma Valley Preservation’s ongoing projects.

 

Summer Internships with the N.H. Preservation Alliance and Preservation Timber Framing

We offer one or two paid summer internship positions for students of historic preservation and related fields. Internships span 9 weeks in the summer, split between 5 weeks of hands-on site work with a trades firm, Preservation Timber Framing, and 4 weeks of work with the Preservation Alliance. Benefits include exposure to the breadth of the preservation field, from construction and repair of structures to the program, policy, and advocacy work of a preservation-focused nonprofit organization. Interns will be introduced to the preservation professional’s community, policy makers, preservation consultants, supporters and donors, and allied organizations in the field. Interns gain important practical knowledge of how preservation businesses run and how preservation nonprofits function. Learn more, including when application deadlines are available, on the Preservation Alliance’s Internship page.

Additional Resources

Research and reports on the Preservation Trades:

Schools that specialize in old building carpentry and construction:

*Be sure to check with schools about financial aid. Here are some opportunities for additional financial assistance:

N.H. Preservation Alliance blog posts:

Other resources to explore:

 

Thank you to our program sponsors*