It appears that many historic sites are in jeopardy now, and in the future due to the lack of people who are skilled enough to maintain them. The BBC has featured a fascinating article on this subject that is entitled "Stone, wood and love." Here is a snippet:

Britain's historic buildings - some of the jewels in our architectural crown - are crumbling, not because of a lack of money, but because of a shortage of traditional skills.

Watch stonemasons at work and as you feel the tang of dust in your throat, hear the clash of metal and material and see objects painstakingly appear, it's hard not feel a certain frisson of magic.

Never mind shopkeepers, ours used to be a nation of trades people and craftsmen, but now it is easy to think those days are gone. When York Minster's spectacular Great East Window was recently found to be in a dilapidated state, there were no glass conservators in the country who could repair it.

Full BBC Article Here

This is not just an issue in Britain, but something we face in Canada too. Perhaps people should consider the earning potential of skilled craftsmen, and the very real demand for them that has been created over the past few decades as more, and more aspire to white collar work. Pretty much anyone can operate a computer these days, but how very few can actually do detailed stone work etc...