Gaining experience
Jobs within this sector are highly competitive and gaining some prior work experience within your preferred area will provide you with a strong advantage when applying for graduate opportunities. Undertaking work experience is invaluable in developing expertise and the all-important transferable skills, which will help you demonstrate your motivation and commitment to this area of work.
It is important to note here, however, that although it is greatly encouraged to find directly relevant experience where you can, due to the nature of availability of the roles within this sector it might not always be possible. In this case do still consider taking up other opportunities within museums or visitor attractions that allow you to work in that environment such as shop assistants, waiting staff and customer services. Gaining this type of work initially can provide a great stepping stone toward gaining your ideal position and provides an opportunity to increase your contacts within the industry.
Types of opportunities
Internships usually take place over a fixed period of time (although the length of these can vary greatly between employers and between roles). Internships provide an excellent opportunity to gain more hands-on experience within a field of interest and you may wish to take up more than one to get a feel for working within different areas or to build further experience.
Work placements provide an invaluable insight into working life and offer you the opportunity to apply the industry knowledge you are learning as part of your studies to a practical setting. Many courses at the University of Portsmouth enable you to complete a year’s work placement or self-employment placement should you choose to.
Organisations in the heritage and culture sector often rely on volunteers. Our very own Volunteering Team have previously worked with Portsmouth Museums, Portsmouth Historic Dockyards and the Aspex Gallery in Gunwharf and all of these have provided excellent opportunities for students over the years. Search the volunteering bank on MyCareer, listing roles such as:
- Visitor Experience Volunteer at Gosport Museum and Art Gallery
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Oral History recording volunteer with Portsmouth City Council
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Exhibition Volunteer at Aspex Gallery
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History Podcast Production Volunteer with Hampshire History Trust
Speculative approaches
A speculative approach could be crucial for you to secure some work experience, which is where you approach employers yourself to enquire of any suitable opportunities. They involve sending a CV and cover letter to an employer to ask if they can offer any work experience, even if the company is not currently advertising placements or internships.
Submitting a speculative application shows your interest in a specific company and your willingness to go above and beyond to develop your skills and understanding of the industry.
Local heritage/cultural organisations
Listed below are some potential places to consider starting your search for work experience locally:
Online learning
Although it is still highly recommended to gain some practical experience within your desired sector prior to securing a placement or graduate opportunity, if you find yourself with some unexpected free time, there are always ways to make yourself stand out as you enter the competitive world of recruitment. For the Heritage and Culture sector, you might consider any online courses that can advance your knowledge in a particular area such as:
- Culture and Tourism on Futurelearn
- What is heritage? by the Open University
