In reply to Dave's suggestion that distance learning courses should be abandoned, I am currently studying for my Masters in Archive Administration at Aberystwyth University. I simply wouldn't be able to do it if the Department of Information Studies didn't offer a distance learning programme. Yes it is hard work at times juggling studying and my full time job. However, after taking that decision, and funding the course myself, I do feel that this is something I really want to achieve to enhance the knowledge I have already gained working in the archive sector.

I simply couldn't afford to take a career break to do a full time course, and I am not the only one in this situation. Distance learning offers real opportunities for people like me, as well as offering wider ranging discussions regarding "the professional experience" at the study schools.


Helen Hargest
Archives and Imaging Co-ordinator

Collections Department, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, The Shakespeare Centre, Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6QW

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-----Original Message-----
From: Archivists, conservators and records managers. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dave Bryant
Sent: 14 August 2013 13:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Vacancy for Archives and Records Management Intern

Craig

It is nothing to do with ‘independently wealthy, well intentioned, do-gooders’. Blame the current work and educational systems in England, and probably in the whole UK.

It is astonishing, how much organisations started asking for volunteers, and not only asking, but also demanding CVs, cover letters and every possible justification to probe and see why a poor soul wants to give his/her time for free. So ironic.
If an organisation does not have or does not want to pay money, maybe, just maybe, they should re-organise their own working arrangements and make own staff to do tasks for which they are asking volunteers. But would they?

About the educational system… Well, why universities keep expanding classes, if less and less available workplaces appear? Look at the archive sector: a few years ago, we had a small number of graduate-archivists, who had a high chance to find a job, but now… At the present, most information courses started taking more and more students, because they get more money (we all know that), and really do not care if there is a market for the future graduates.

Personally, I feel that classes need to be trimmed down, distance learning should be abandoned, and pre-course work must be given to people with diplomas, and not to people who are planning to become an archivist. Why we do not care about people with diplomas and keep breeding more archivists, when the demand for them is so low?

It is not the ‘independently wealthy, well intentioned, do-gooders’ devalue the information sector; it is a group of volunteers with diplomas, who were just unfortunate enough to graduate in time when the archive/information sector became saturated. These volunteers need to have/keep/gain work experience in this sector, as without it getting a paid job would be impossible.

If we start implementing all those measures, then perhaps the archive/information/curatorship sector might become highly valuable again, and we would not have any more disgruntled workers and unhappy graduates.

Regards
Dave Bryant

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