Job Vacancy: Archive / Heritage Apprentice

By GWL | Published 2nd August, 2019

The deadline for applications for this post has now passed.

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about caring for cultural heritage (particularly that of marginalised groups and cultures) to join our Lesbian Lives: Revealing Hidden Herstories project as an Archive / Heritage Apprentice. They will assist the Glasgow Women’s Library (GWL) Archivist on the Lesbian Lives project, supported by Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, Rewards Training and the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme, to digitise and interpret GWL’s LGBTQ resources, including the historic Lesbian Archives held at GWL. The collections form a significant part of GWL’s overall collection and are one of the most important collections of LGBTQ history in the UK.

Lesbian Lives: Revealing Hidden Herstories

A heritage project based at Glasgow Women’s Library, supported by Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, Rewards Training and the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme (from Skills Development Scotland).

Aims:

To improve representation, information and interpretation of lesbian history and culture within the heritage sector. By caring for, documenting, interpreting and presenting the Lesbian Archive held at Glasgow Women’s Library.
To interpret and present this history through a contemporary art commission.
To provide a cultural heritage apprenticeship over 12 months, within Glasgow Women’s Library (GWL), learning a range of skills from an institution that stands out for its inclusive and important role within the heritage sector.

Archive / Heritage Apprenticeship

We are looking for someone who is passionate about caring for cultural heritage (particularly that of marginalised groups and cultures) and understands the power this has for contemporary society.

Although having some previous experience of archiving (whether this be voluntary or otherwise) may be advantageous, we are looking for a candidate that will make the most of this opportunity and aligns themselves with the values and practices of this project and Glasgow Women’s Library. As this apprenticeship has been designed to include a range of activities, learning opportunities and work-based training, we are more interested in your potential and ability to utilise this opportunity, rather than an academic or professional history.

We are particularly interested in receiving applications from people who are currently underrepresented within the creative, cultural and heritage sectors. This includes people from a BAME background, those from the LGBTQ+ community, disabled and neurodiverse people, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

The successful candidate will receive:

Foundational training in archives, by GWL’s archivist. Please note, this is not ARA certified and therefore candidates would need further training before becoming a qualified archivist. However, this post has been designed to give the training and experience needed to achieve an assistant archivist role, post-apprenticeship.
Level 6 SCQF in Cultural Venue Operations, supported by Rewards Training through visits, assistance and guidance.
Mentoring and support from the Library as a whole; including shadowing opportunities.
Opportunity to support and work with a contemporary artist during a commission, residency and exhibition.
Opportunity to curate a small exhibition of their own, using materials from the archive to contextualise the aforementioned exhibition.
Small budget for CPD (Continuing Professional Development).

The Apprentice will work three days per week within the Archive, with support from the GWL Archivist. One day per week will be spent shadowing and working alongside colleagues throughout Glasgow Women’s Library, in order to get a broader understanding of working within a cultural heritage institution. One day per week will be spent focussing on the qualification.

Cultural Venue Operations Modern Apprenticeship (SCQF L6)

This qualification is delivered by Rewards Training in partnership with Skills Development Scotland and includes the CVO SVQ at SCQF L6 and Core Skills at L6. The successful candidate must be eligible for SDS funding and is not age-restrictive. The Apprenticeship has been designed to include a mix of face to face assessment visits with a qualified Rewards assessor / trainer and remote assessment visits over a 12-month period with a review of progress every 12 weeks.

The qualification includes five mandatory units & four units of the Apprentice’s choice. Mandatory units are as follows:

Support the organisation of an event
Assist with incidents and emergency procedures
Solve business problems
Contribute to decision-making in a business environment
Ensure responsibility for actions to reduce risks to health and safety

For further information on the qualification and optional units, please visit: https://www.rewardstraining.com/diploma-in-cultural-venue-operations

Please note, this apprenticeship does not come with a guarantee of further employment.

Job Description, Person Specification and Application Form

Job Description: Archive / Heritage Apprentice
Hours of work: 35 hours per week
Salary: £21,840
Holidays: 25 days per annum plus 12 public holidays
Reporting to: Glasgow Women’s Library Archivist

Main Purpose: To assist the Glasgow Women’s Library (GWL) Archivist on a project supported by Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, Rewards Training and the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme to digitise and interpret GWL’s LGBTQ resources, including the historic Lesbian Archives held at GWL. The collections form a significant part of GWL’s overall collection and are one of the most important collections of LGBTQ history in the UK.

Fixed Term Contract, 14th Oct 2019 until 16th Oct 2020

This post is for women only under Schedule 9 part 1 of the Equality Act 2010

Download:

Please return both parts of the application form to: Freya Monk-McGowan, Project Curator, Glasgow Women’s Library at freya.monk.mcgowan@womenslibrary.org.uk

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 1st September 2019

Interviews will be held week commencing 9th September 2019

24 replies on “Job Vacancy: Archive / Heritage Apprentice”

Hi
I have recently viewed your job vacancy for an archivist/heritage apprentice I was wondering is this a position that offers flexible working hours or is it possible to do this position part time or job share.
I am aware that this may not be feasible as these details are not posted on the job advert .
Many thanks

Hi Nicola!

Thanks so much for your message. We do offer flexible working for all our posts so would encourage you to submit an application and make clear what the hours you could do or how the flexible working would work best for you. I hope this helps!

Best wishes,

Hannah

Just realised I’ve applied for this job on indeed with just a cv and cover letter. Am I still okay to submit the application form?

Hi Alex,

Yes, I’m very sorry about this. There are some inaccuracies on some external recruitment sites and we’re working to fix this now. The application forms on our website are what needs to be submitted to us.

Best wishes,

Hannah

Hello!

I have applied for the apprenticeship advertised above through apprenticeships.scot. In the application process I had to write a cover letter and upload my CV. However, when I read about the role in the news section here I realized that in the application form attached there are more questions that candidates need to answer. My concern is that the application process seems to be different to the one I have already completed. Could you please advise me on whether I should re-apply by submitting the two application forms?

Many thanks

Christina Kopanou

Hi Christina,

Best wishes,

Hannah

Hello!

I am incredibly interested in the opportunity, but before applying I’d like to know if you guys are able to sponsor an international applicant. I am currently here on a tier 4 visa, but my course is to be completed by the 10th of September so I am able to work full-time afterwards, but would need sponsorship to stay until next October (which I am looking forward to!).

Hi Kristen,

I’m afraid that we are not able to support visa applications for this role.

Best wishes,

Hannah

Good afternoon,

I am very interested in the apprenticeship, I am currently completing my education (M.S.c Museum Studies) and would love to be involved in the project. It is excellent that GWL are getting funding to highlight such an important and currently hidden history of women’s sexuality.

I have read the SDS eligibility, but I wanted to clarify if I need to have completed education by the time of submitting the application or by the start of the role, as my course will be completed on August 30th?

Thank you in advance.

Best wishes,
Aimee

Aimee

Dear Aimee – as the closing date for applications is 1st September, this should mean that you are eligible.

Hi there, are you able to let me know the eligibility criteria for the SDS funding?

Many thanks!

Hi Vee – candidates must not have a similar qualification in Cultural Venue Operation, and must have a Scottish address when enrolling on the qualification.

Hi,

I would absolutely love to apply to this position. I just wonder if I am eligible for SDS funding. I am British, but not Scottish! I can’t seem to find the right information online.

Thank you! Jemima

Hi Jemima – to be eligible for the SDS funding, you do have to have a Scottish address when you enrol on the qualification.

Hi,

I am very interested in this opportunity, but do not currently have a Scottish address. Is it still possible to apply for the apprenticeship while living elsewhere in Britain, and simply enrol on the qualification and apply for SDS funding if the application is successful (in which case I would move to a Scottish address)?

Thank you in advance!

Best wishes,
Lottie

Dear Lottie – the address criteria for SDS funding needs to be met when enrolling on the qualification, but is not required for the job application.

Hello there,
I am overseas for the moment and I am wondering if you offer Skype interviews for this position?
Warmly,
Lana

Dear Lana – yes, we can offer Skype interviews for this post.

GWL,
Are you looking for physical or electronic addresses for our references?
Just want to make sure I supply the correct information.
Best,
Kristin

Dear Kristin – email addresses would be preferable due to the timescales involved, but either is acceptable.

I am interested in applying for the Archive / Heritage Apprentice role, but noticed the qualification is only eligible to people with Scottish addresses. Currently live in Manchester, if I were to get the job I would move to Glasgow. Would this make me eligible?

Dear Sophie – the address criteria for SDS funding needs to be met when enrolling on the qualification, but is not required for the job application.

Hi there GWL,

I love the look of this posting and am just trying to send in my application. However, the address cited on the form keeps pinging my emails back to me with a note saying that the inbox is full and my emails aren’t being delivered. Is there another address I can send my application to?

Dear Rosslyn – sorry about that! The inbox should now be cleared, so please do try sending it again. If there’s still a problem, you can send your application to our main email, info@womenslibrary.org.uk – please mark it FAO Freya Monk-McGowan.

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