Is digital preservation a profession? And if so, what characterizes it as a profession? If you look at a skilled carpenter, the professionalism is defined by the skills of the carpenter, the tools that are used, the flexibility to apply centuries old knowledge in different situations and materials and above all, to expand this knowledge. Although preservationists do not have a centuries old tradition, they adopted well established principles from libraries and archives and other areas and translated them into specific standards. Tools were developed to implement the ingredients of the standards and to apply them into a variety of digital materials. Thus coping with an ever changing digital environment. Training-on-the-job and day to day practice, as well as dedicated educational programs support the preservationists in developing the necessary skills.