Well I suppose I had better tell you what this blog is all about.
I’m on the 2010 Renaissance North West funded Museology Professional Development Programme, and my personal project is to explore the theme of Museum workforce development. I feel really passionately about this subject as I entered the Museums profession via an odd route myself, stopping off in the housing, care and education sectors along the way. But that’s a story for later.
I have no Museum qualifications and I didn’t want to work in a Museum when I grew up – shock horror!! And yet I work in one. The majority of people that I encounter working in the same sector have at least an MA in a Museum related subject as well as their degree. Now, I’m not saying having gained that level of education is a bad thing, but should everyone who works in a Museum have or need those credentials? Do they need to be that specific? Who sets the standard, is it the employers, Universities or ourselves?
Who exactly is the ideal Museum professional and can they ever exist within our current set up?
Do our organisational structures and current views on professionalism get in the way of hiring people from outside of the sector who can bring fresh ideas to the table?
How realistic is it for a person succeeding in another sector to enter into the Museum workforce and transfer that success?
Which hurdle would they fall at? Lack of qualifications, experience, or the fact that they did not know where to look for the job advertisement?
Who decides what training is appropriate or necessary?
Is work experience measurable?
I know there are so many questions and that they would be easy to brush under the carpet in favour of dealing with the repercussions of the tough financial times we are all facing. I’m going to try and answer some myself but along the way I’m going to be video interviewing people working in the sector, students and policy makers to collect their thoughts and ideas about Workforce development.
I believe that if Museums are to survive they need the support of a diverse audience. I don’t believe you can truly have this without a diverse workforce.
fab stuff to be researching, Sam. As someone who has worked in museums for over 15 years without a museum-specific qual. I'm right behind you ! I have a degree and a Postgrad. Dip. in Management - which I think has been far more useful in terms of understanding strategic planning and business in these changing times. We need a range of people and backgrounds and experiences in museums - the more the merrier.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I work in museums and completed the MA museum studies course. I can honestly say that I have never opened the box of notes I took on the MA, or looked over any of the essays I wrote.
ReplyDeleteThe most valuable advice and experience I gained was while volunteering at museums and galleries both before starting my MA and whilst completing it. It was while volunteering at the Walker Art Gallery that I learned how a museum worked, what sort of job I would like to do and had my love of collections reinforced. One of the curators at the Walker also taught me one of the most valuable skills and the reason why I am working in museums today - how to fill in an application form and how to interview and be interviewed!
I really think that the way museums recruit and develop the workforce needs to be looked at. Volunteering experience has been so much more valuable to me than an expensive MA. Hundreds of students graduate from MA museum studies every year with unrealistic job expectations and little or no work experience (20 hours was the minimum required by my course).
If I was to go back and advise the 21 year old me - I would say skip the MA, get more work experience, ask more questions and if you want to do any further study, think about doing something that is useful in different fields...you may not want to work in museums forever.
Kirsty, I think its really important for people coming in the sector to have mentors. Someone that they can ask questions too. No matter how silly they may seem. Maybe the MA should have a greater emphasis on work experience? But then again we are all guilty for turning work experience students down because we don't have the time?
ReplyDeleteMentors is an excellent idea, coming from private industry background into a museum career like I did felt like a massive culture shock. The amount of jargon and insider knowledge I didn't have felt insurmountable. Someone to ask stupid questions without feeling inferior would have been a great help.
ReplyDeleteSam, At Leeds, just before I left they were setting up a paid internship scheme. They were going to employ recent BA/Bsc graduates to work on short term projects ( 3 months-ish), the pay was not great (1000 pounds I think) but certainly better than volunteering. Each graduate had a mentor who would have looked after them/answered questions/guided them. I think the model is a good one, and could be used not necessarily just for university graduates. Working like this may give some formality to work experience/make it measurable.
ReplyDeleteMaking work experience more formal, e.g. interviewing candidates, setting out goals, assigning a mentor etc. is beneficial to both parties in my opinion and seems like a more sensible way into museum work than shelling out to go to university with uncertain job prospects at the end of it. Like you said, we are all guilty of turning down work experience students - maybe we would find time if we treated them like proper job candidates.
I would just like to say how much I am looking forward to reading about the findings of your research. As a recent graduate and an aspiring museum worker you’re exploring lots of questions which have crossed my mind.
ReplyDeleteI started looking at courses for MA’s in Museum Studies during my second year of university however when it came to applying I decided that it would be worth taking a working gap year so that I could earn some money to help fund the course and also gain some further work experience. Moreover, it’s giving me the chance to make contacts, explore different career paths and it has reaffirmed my belief that I want to work in this sector.
Good Luck with the research.
P.s -Make sure you pass on the formula for the ideal museum professional
Thanks for the comment Natalie. I started to think that there is a need for MA courses but maybe they need to change direction and need to have a wider remit.They should definitly have a greater vocational theme.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that Universities have a responsibility for students and that they should make sure that students are well informed about the sector before they enter it. Students should know about the reality of lack of jobs, cuts and salary scales.
Keep an eye on the blog. More to be added soon.
I'm doing a MA Museum Studies now, it's a very vocational, practical course which is why I chose it (at UEA) I do agree with you though, I've got quite a bit of volunteering and work experience, but looking a job specifications, I was struggling as they nearly all ask for a MA qualification.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting blog, look forward to continuing to read it (found you on twitter!)