Building on an already substantial investment of £26.8million, Skills for the Future will be open for business again from 1 November 2012. It will support work-based training in a wide range of skills that are needed to look after buildings, landscapes, habitats, species, and museum and archive collections, as well as equipping people to lead education and outreach programmes, manage volunteers or use digital technology.

Skills for the Future projects HLF funds deliver high quality vocational learning, helping address heritage skills shortages and encouraging potential trainees from all walks of life. Trainees will develop skills that are essential to the future of heritage, sustaining and bringing sites and collections alive for future generations. Applicants will be encouraged to build in supplementary training, such as developing business planning or marketing skills, to prepare trainees for the modern heritage economy.

Dame Jenny Abramsky, Chair of HLF, said: "The Skills for the Future programme is a huge success story which will have a lasting impact on the sector and the wider economy. This special funding initiative - building on what has already been achieved since 2009 - is designed to address the shortage of skills and training opportunities and will provide hundreds more training places.

"One of our key aims is to build organisational resilience within the sector. Ensuring people have the skills to look after our heritage is an important part of that. We know this works and we're delighted to be making a further £15m investment and look forward to receiving more great quality applications."

Matthew Hancock, Under Secretary of State for Education and Business Innovation and Skills, said: "I'm pleased to see that the Heritage Lottery Fund has committed significant further funding in support of skills, through their Skills for the Future project. The high-quality work-based learning this scheme offers will I hope give people the expertise to work in highly-skilled jobs in the industry.

"Skills for the Future offers paid opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds, and provides the double benefit of protecting and nurturing skills and attracting people who might not have previously considered a career in the heritage sector."

First-round applications need to be submitted by noon on 31 January 2013 for a decision in May 2013. An online application pack is available at the Skills for the Future webpage. HLF will be running a number of Skills for the Future pre-application workshops across the UK in November and December 2012.

Notes to editors

Launched in July 2009, Skills for the Future is an HLF programme supporting organisations across the UK to create new training places. HLF has so far awarded grants totalling £26.8m under this programme enabling high-quality work-based training, the development of new qualifications and capacity building in the sector.

Skills for the Future has built on the success of HLF's Training Bursaries Programme (launched in 2004) and has so far delivered more than 700 placements providing high-quality on-the-job accredited training over a range of 50 skill sets.

Further information

For further information regarding the Skills for the Future pre-application workshops, please visit Skill for the Future page or call 020 7591 6042

HLF press office, please contact Katie Owen on 020 7591 6036 / 07973 613 820