Traditional craftspeople from communities around Romania’s Făgăraș Mountains can obtain nationally recognized professional certification through a new program launched by the Conservation Carpathia Foundation and Sibiu’s ASTRA Museum. Applications for the MeșterEȘTI pentru comunitate program are open until October 31, 2026.
The initiative targets people who have learned and practiced traditional trades through experience but do not hold formal qualifications. Eligible occupations include artisanal carpentry, making handcrafted wooden objects, and traditional construction using logs, adobe, or stone.
The program is open to craftspeople from selected communities in Argeș, Brașov, and Sibiu counties. Applicants must have completed at least eight years of school, already practice the trade for which they are seeking certification, and be able to demonstrate their skills.
The initiative is not a training course for beginners, the organizers said. Participants will undergo a written theoretical examination and a practical assessment, with evaluations starting on September 1.
Those who pass will receive a nationally recognized certificate attesting to the professional skills they acquired outside formal education. The qualification could allow them to access new employment opportunities, including work on restoration and local cultural heritage preservation projects.
“Through this program, we want to contribute to recognizing the work of craftspeople while preserving knowledge and techniques that form part of these communities’ identity,” said Istvan Szabo, community relations director at the Conservation Carpathia Foundation.
“The cultural landscape at the foot of the Făgăraș Mountains can only be preserved if there continue to be people who know how to work with local materials, understand traditional techniques, continue practicing them and can teach them to others,” he added.
The Conservation Carpathia Foundation will offer selected participants grants of between RON 500 and RON 1,300 to cover part of the certification costs. The full cost varies between RON 750 and RON 1,850, depending on the occupation.
Participants will also receive guidance, documentation and preparation materials from ASTRA Museum specialists until November 30.
“By certifying the skills of these custodians of living heritage, we are not only providing official recognition for valuable trades but also helping ensure that they remain a reference point for future generations,” said ASTRA Museum manager Ciprian Ștefan.
ASTRA Museum has been authorized since 2024 as a center for evaluating and certifying skills acquired outside formal education. It has certified more than 90 craftspeople to date, according to the announcement.
After the certification process, the foundation and museum plan to hold an event featuring practical demonstrations and presentations of the participating craftspeople’s work.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: press release)
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