THE Enniskillen Workhouse Project – a collaborative restoration project between Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and South West College (SWC) – continues to progress this summer with bursary students working and gaining a wealth of experience on site.

Funding of £2,343,000 was awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to undertake this major capital project to create a business enterprise and heritage hub at Enniskillen Workhouse.

The project will also involve the coordination of a reminiscence programme. The total value of the project is £3.25m.

Throughout the restoration works, SWC is managing the dedicated heritage skills and education programme.

The programme will enable more than 100 local craftspeople and contractors to benefit from accredited training in heritage skills, while also providing opportunities for a further 12 individuals to achieve an NVQ Level 3 heritage skills (construction) qualification.

Robert Fitzpatrick, Heritage Skills and Education Coordinator for the project, says: "Bursary students are helping the project and learning invaluable skills along the way. The current bursary students have all now been on the site, working alongside the main contractor as joiners or stonemasons."

One such student is Niall Richardson, from Enniskillen, who is studying a Level 3 course in Heritage building and Stonemasonry.

Niall says, “I previously studied bricklaying and was working in that industry, but when I heard about this project I thought it was a great opportunity to learn new skills and get a different on-site working experience.

"There are lots of old stone buildings around here in Fermanagh, so to be involved in repairing an historic old building like this is fantastic, both in terms of my own personal interest in the project and the experience it offers for future work opportunities.”

The Enniskillen Workhouse Project is due for completion in 2022 and there are still opportunities for new bursary students.

Robert added: “We have four bursary positions that remain open. Bursary students are paid £165 a week, and they get full training, a lot of experience, and a Level 3 diploma in heritage construction."

To find out more about bursary opportunities, see www.swc.ac.uk/discover/the-enniskillen-workhouse.