Building on the Past

Darren Taubman
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Building on the Past is a podcast for anyone ready to ditch the desk and build something real. We dive into the world of heritage carpentry — where skill, history, and purpose come together. Hear from the craftspeople restoring buildings, reviving lost techniques, and finding meaning in hands-on work. If you’re tired of pushing paper and want to shape something that lasts, it’s time to start building on the past.

Episodes

  1. 12/02/2025

    Interesting Work on Interesting Buildings with Interesting People: A conversation with Shawn Thomson

    In this episode, I speak with Shawn Thomson a heritage carpenter and long-time instructor at the Heritage Institute in Perth Ontario.  Shawn has a successful career that covers historic building repair, heritage restoration, and more than 15 years of teaching. Shawn tells us how he left cubicle life behind, found the Heritage Carpentry program, and never looked back. Shawn shares his perspectives on the paths that bring people into heritage trades, the opportunities for careers in restoration work, and what it means to be a heritage carpenter.  We discuss Perth as a living classroom and the role the town’s historical architecture and fabric contributes to students’ learning and post-secondary learning. Throughout the episode Shawn outlines his approach to teaching, his hopes for his students and the skills required to be successful in Heritage Carpentry and Heritage Trades. If you have questions about the Heritage Carpentry and Joinery Program you can contact the Heritage Institute by e-mail at Perth@algonquincollege.com   Feedback to Building on the Past If you have questions or comments about the podcast or have suggestions for future episodes you can contact me at BuildingOnThePastPod@gmail.com I’d love to hear from you.

    15 min

  2. EPISODE 3

    Trailer: Building on the Past

    Building on the Past is a podcast for anyone ready to ditch the desk and build something real. Dive into the world of heritage carpentry where skill, history, and purpose come together.Hear from the craftspeople restoring buildings, reviving lost techniques, and finding meaning in hands-on work.If you’re tired of pushing paper and want to shape something that lasts, it’s time to start Building on the Past.

    2 min

  3. 11/11/2025

    Anybody can do this. People come from all kinds of different backgrounds and it makes for a really nice learning environment and a really nice community.

    This episodes guest is Jack Hollinger, Program Coordinator and Instructor at the Heritage Institute in Perth, Ontario, Canada.We discuss pathways into the Heritage Carpentry Program, the importance of being in the moment and using all of your senses when working, and whether you need to have extensive woodworking experience to succeed (you don't!).If you have questions for Jack about the Heritage Carpentry Program you can contact him by E-mail at perth@algonquincollege.com

    15 min

  4. 10/14/2025

    I escaped the cubicle farm and built a new career. You can too!

    After 20 years in a frustrating government job, I went back to school to become a Heritage Carpenter.This is my journey from the cubicle to the workbench and the classroom. If you've ever considered a shift from your current career path to Heritage Trades, this episode will give you something to build on.

    12 min

Trailer

About

Building on the Past is a podcast for anyone ready to ditch the desk and build something real. We dive into the world of heritage carpentry — where skill, history, and purpose come together. Hear from the craftspeople restoring buildings, reviving lost techniques, and finding meaning in hands-on work. If you’re tired of pushing paper and want to shape something that lasts, it’s time to start building on the past.

Information

  • Creator
    Darren Taubman
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Darren Taubman
  • Show Website
    Building on the Past