Hawaiʻi is no stranger to the shortage of skilled workers, be it doctors or nurses — but there is also a shortage of craftsmen.
The Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation is dedicated to addressing the need for carpenters who are trained in working on historic structures, like wooden windows from a bygone era.
Kiersten Faulkner is the executive director of the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation. She sat down to speak with HPR alongside Alan Shintani, owner of the construction company, Alan Shintani, Inc.
Together they are leading the charge to train a new generation of workers by offering classes to those willing to learn a new skill and help meet a growing demand of expertise in historic home repair.
Shintani has worked on the Royal Mausoleum chapel at Mauna ʻAla, as well as projects in the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites.
The Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation recently kicked off a two-day workshop at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, and they encourage anyone aspiring to become an architectural artisan to reach out for information on future training.
More information on the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation’s preservation efforts and training classes can be found on their website.
This story aired on The Conversation on April 16, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
