About

The National Endangered Skills and Trades Show is an annual event run by Endangered Heritage to showcase artisans, makers, and repairers equipped with years of traditional knowledge. These traditional knowledge and skills are essential parts of our history that are gradually disappearing. They will be extinct one day if nothing is done to stop this process.

Objectives

  1. Conserve intangible heritage by increasing awareness of disappearing heritage trades and their importance.
  2. Foster a new generation of youth interested in these trades.
  3. Bring attention to the jobs and industries Australia desperately needs.

NESTS emphasises the importance and persisting relevance of these skills and trades that are endangered, not due to a lack of demand, but due to the lack of visibility of the need for apprentices. While training for these trades was once possible, they no longer fit within the Australian trade apprenticeship structure, with existing legislation prevents these traders from taking on trainees or apprentices.

There are only two families of coopers, people who make or repair casks and barrels, in all of Australia. Coopers are essential to Australia’s wine, gin, and whisky industry! And this is just one example. We hope to inspire a new generation of apprentices to take up these trades before they disappear forever. Because the biggest shame is that most people are not even aware of these trades and traders who want to pass on their skills to the next generation can’t. 

National Endangered Skills and Trades Show 2023

This year's event raises awareness of how traditional trades are essential parts of our intangible heritage.

THE COST OF LOSING KNOWLEDGE

This event aims to highlight how traditional trades, if lost, limit options for consumers, lead to less choice and lower quality. And once lost, cost a fortune to regain and re-learn. We can not afford to lose suppliers and unique skills. 

1. Local experts ensure local innovation and supply.

We saw how freight and supply for goods and services are crippling the economy.

2. All these heritage trades are not he Immigration skills needs list. So instead fo relying on the luck of immigration we could support those with specialist knowledge now. 

3. Traditional trades and skills are still the hot bed of innovation. Nearly all protocol-types for industry require someone with hand skills first. 

Heritage preservation needs to be guaranteed staff who can fix and support our tourism assets.