Icon Conservation Careers Month: Inspiring Audiences at Heritage Events
As part of our NLHF project 'A Resilient and Engaging Future' we have been attending more heritage and conservation career events to ensure we're reaching as many people as possible to share, inspire and provide guidance about a career in conservation and the importance of the sector.
On the 6th October Historic Environment Scotland hosted the Edinburgh Castle Careers Event as part of Scotland's Heritage Careers Week. You could meet employers in the heritage sector, colleges and universities, and discover the range of skills and careers it takes to protect Scotland's heritage. The Edinburgh Guarantee team were also there on the day with advice and support to help attendees on their journey towards employment, training or education.
As part of this our Icon Scotland Group went along to represent conservation at the event and speak to attendees about our sector. The volunteers represented a great variety of conservation from preventive conservation, easel paintings conservation and conservation leadership and directly engaged over 60 attendees. Thank you to Clara Molina Sanchez, Rob Thomson ACR, Jade Hill and Lesley Scott for dedicating their time to support this event, and to HES for inviting us.
Later in the month Icon's Group and Public Programme Lead Dodie Finamore attended the West Midlands Heritage Careers Event organised by West Midlands Heritage Trust. Set in Worcester Cathedral, the day started with a Networking Breakfast, which was a great opportunity to meet other organisations taking part in the event, and fill up on some great (veggie) bacon baps!
The day was made up by 40 organisations with engaging stands, a demonstration area and a fantastic array of talks throughout. We piloted our portable handling collection, which really helped bring the different areas of conservation to life and it was fantastic to engage 50+ people. Thank you to our members who have offered their time to speak with the young people we met on the day to continue to support them with their curiosity in joining the sector, and to the West Midland Heritage Trust for welcoming us along.
It was also a great opportunity to see Worcester Cathedrals 'Reaching New Heights Project' in action - a major project to repair two historic pinnacles on the northwest corner of the Cathedral's tower being supported by one of our members, geological conservator Kate Andrew ACR, and hear about all the outreach they're delivering as part of the project which included the careers event.
If you'd like Icon and / or members to have a stand or speak at your careers event please email [email protected].
Similarly, if you're a member and you'd like support attending or putting on a careers event, also email Dodie!
