The Institute of Conservation (ICON) has released a report on the labour market for conservators: ‘Conservation Labour Market Intelligence 2012-13’.
ICON writes:
Produced with support from Arts Council England, English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the report is a comprehensive survey of the nature of employment and the profile of the workforce across the UK. Its findings set the heritage industry’s agenda for conservation employment, education and training for the next five years.
The UK heritage industry generates £20 billion annually and the social benefits of heritage engagement have been widely recognised. The conservation workforce is critical to preserving the UK’s cultural assets. Previously, the industry has relied on out-of-date or anecdotal evidence about its training needs and skills requirements. Icon’s report is the first full analysis of the sector in over a decade.
The research surveyed employers in both the private and public sectors to identify the profile of their workforces and their skills needs. The conservation sector contains employing organisations of many sizes, ranging from national museums, libraries and archives to sole traders. The report shows that employers are committed to training but many do not have the resources to train. The findings show gaps and shortages exist across the range of conservation skills and serious gaps were identified in several areas of transferable professional skills. The report’s findings raise awareness of the critical importance of strategic planning to ensure that the rich cultural heritage of the UK is preserved for future generations. Using this labour market intelligence will allow heritage bodies and the conservation sector to plan and prioritize actions that will sustain and support a skilled and diverse conservation workforce.
Icon is leading on the National Conservation Education & Skills Strategy, bringing employers and education providers together to map a coherent framework of career paths. The data will provide a foundation for effective advocacy and a benchmark for measuring the success of the Strategy. Icon is committed to promoting life-long learning and to ensuring that a sustainable conservation strategy is in place for the UK.
Alison Richmond, Icon’s Chief Executive said: ‘The publication of the report provides vital information on the state of the conservation sector in the UK today. Overall the findings show the UK has reasonable coverage across the wide range of the conservation skills it needs but there is a lack of a coherent strategy for career progression. An area of concern highlighted by our findings is the lack of practitioners, courses and employment in the conservation of modern materials and new media. This means that in the near future vital areas of our cultural heritage will be at risk.’
To read Conservation Labour Market Intelligence 2012-13 see: LINK
ICON News: LINK
