Heritage Crafts and Soane Britain launch matchMAKER

Heritage Crafts and Soane Britain have launched matchMAKER, a new online platform to help safeguard and promote craft skills.

An uncompromising commitment to British craftsmanship has been at the heart of Soane Britain’s ethos since the very beginning. Working with a network of the finest craftspeople in Britain since 1997, it preserves traditional skills and nurtures them for future generations.

matchMAKER provides a centralised hub for employers to list opportunities in their workshops, offering potential trainees and job seekers access to entry level roles that sustain heritage craft skills, including those considered endangered. This new platform creates increased visibility for employers and prospective trainees, encouraging a new generation of makers to pursue a craft career and continue to practice vital heritage skills.

Lulu Lytle OBE, Soane’s Founder, said:

“Until now there has been no single point of reference for opportunities for work-based craft training in the UK. The matchMAKER platform addresses this omission by pairing vacancies with people keen to learn important historic skills from practicing craftspeople. I have always seen the lack of any centralised database as a serious barrier to aspiring makers so am excited by the doors this will open for people looking for viable careers in making.”

Daniel Carpenter, Heritage Crafts’ Executive Director, said:

“Without urgent action, many traditional crafts risk vanishing entirely. matchMAKER will link employers and trainers to passionate individuals to help ensure the future of these vital occupations. This initiative is a testament to our and Soane Britain’s shared dedication to keeping heritage crafts alive, relevant, and thriving.”

Visit matchMAKER now to view the opportunities or list ones of your own: