Bruce's comments below are echoed by the AA&RM training providers.

'At the end of the day, I think that we will only keep our heads above water
if we attract the right type of person into the archive profession(s), and
this means educating careers advisors, producing the right literature, and
giving the sector a more "upfront" image. this will not only attract the
right type of person, but also assist in the long term need of producing a
generation who will take ion the leadership role in meeting not only the
future archival agenda but also that set by FOI, Re:source's cross-sectoral
approach and the government's priorities.'

Much of the recruitment effort must depend on better marketing by all who
understand the needs of these professional areas of activity.  The training
courses have always worked hard behind the scenes in providing sound
information to interested people but have observed the difficulties in
promoting better understanding by careers advisers and undergraduate tutors
in HE, who do not have time to grasp the details of lesser known employment
areas.   Some have a reasonable idea of archive work, but it is
particularly difficult to spread the message about the potential of RM
because there is such widespread ignorance of what is involved.  ILS  and
Business graduates are often well suited to this field, as are graduates in
Science or Law, as long as they are alerted to the possibilties and
opportunities.  A less obvious problem is presented by ICT 'thinking' which
is very pervasive and which considers 'archiving' and 'records management'
in a different context, without recognising the scope or scale of these
activities in professional terms.

Another issue is that many undergraduate students  leave it very late to
seek careers advice - ideally they should be thinking hard in their second
year of study about what to pursue as a later aim.  This would then allow
them to try a work placement before their third year, and be more focused
on their future careers.  On the other hand, we are all seeing the pressure
on today's undergraduates who are juggling their studies with paid work and
debt problems to such an extent that it is difficult to suggest that they
might spare time to ponder career pathways!  A further knock-on effect, of
course, is that it is very difficult to contemplate funding a postgraduate
training course while carrying the burden of undergraduate debt.

Susan Davies
(Archives and Records Managemen Training at Aberystwyth)








Dr Susan J. Davies
Department of History & Welsh History
Hugh Owen Building
The University of Wales
Penglais
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 3DY

Tel.  +44 (0)1970-622722 (direct) or -622662
Fax   +44 (0)1970-622676;  e-mail [log in to unmask]