Posing with the Cincinnati Preservation Association’s award are, from left, Diane McConnell, Director of Workforce Development with the Enzweiler Building Institute; Kaitlin Bryan, the City of Covington’s Regulatory Services Manager & Historic Preservation Specialist; and Brian Miller, President of the Covington Academy of Heritage Trades/Executive Vice President of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky.
Cincinnati Preservation Association award ‘blesses’ multi-pronged approach
COVINGTON, Ky. – To the people who helped bring the Covington Academy of Heritage Trades to life, a recent award from the Cincinnati Preservation Association represents more than a one-night recognition and applause.
It is a gold-gilded stamp of approval from experts of the multi-pronged strategy that framed the academy’s creation, and its many goals:
- Create a talent pipeline of skilled trades people in an industry desperate for them.
- Revive and spread the “lost” techniques of working on pieces of historic buildings.
- Facilitate the preservation and restoration of one of Covington’s greatest assets – hundreds if not thousands of architecturally significant (albeit deteriorating) old structures.
- Inspire small business start-ups.
- And increase the household income of Covington’s families.
To accomplish all of those goals, the City partnered with the Enzweiler Building Institute to create a two-dimensional experience that combined classroom work at the Institute’s construction trades school in Latonia with hands-on learning in a “living laboratory” – the dilapidated City-owned structure at 1515 Madison Ave., which dates to the 1880s and owns an infamous history as the Colonial Inn motel.
“This award gives the Academy and our approach credibility,” said Kaitlin Bryan, the City of Covington’s Regulatory Services Manager & Historic Preservation Specialist. “Everybody recognizes there is a shortage of knowledge and skilled workers when it comes to the restoration trades. The fact that our students can learn in a hands-on environment is the only way to do it.”
The City’s partner in the Academy agreed.
“We are honored to receive the Education Award from the Cincinnati Preservation Association, a recognition of our dedication to nurturing the next generation of skilled artisans and preserving our cultural heritage through hands-on education at the Covington Academy of Heritage Trades,” said Brian Miller, President of the Covington Academy of Heritage Trades/Executive Vice President of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky.
“Moreover,” Miller added, “we are grateful for the City of Covington, the City Commission and staff team in their support and backing of this tremendous endeavor.”
The association is a non-profit membership group dedicated to education and advocacy for the preservation of historical buildings and other resources in Greater Cincinnati. Its Education Award recognizes individuals or organizations who contribute to the public’s understanding, appreciation, and discovery of the region’s historic resources and of historic preservation.
Said the association: “As anyone who owns a historic building knows, these buildings are works of craftsmanship and as technology and construction have changed, unfortunately, the detailed craftsmanship and knowledge of traditional trades has declined in the construction industry. This has often made it difficult to find knowledgeable craftsmen to work on our homes. Seeing this issue, the City of Covington has partnered with the Enzweiler Building Institute to create the Covington Academy of Heritage Trades.”
The Covington Academy of Heritage Trades (CAHT) is a workshop-based program that teaches the skills and knowledge needed to restore older homes and buildings to their former glory. Students learn to preserve the original features and historic significance while simultaneously modernizing and updating the functionality of the properties.
Students work side-by-side with skilled craftspeople who have dedicated their careers to mastering their trade. Through hands-on application in real properties, students gain practical experience that can translate into meaningful careers in the field of historic restoration.
As outlined in a 2022 news release, "Restoration trades school coming soon," the City hired the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky (which runs the Enzweiler Building Institute) to oversee and manage the program.
Bryan said the Academy is currently in the middle of its third semester, with a curriculum focused on exterior carpentry. Previous semesters focused on interior plaster and building sciences/assessment.
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