The record-keeping sector offers fascinating and rewarding career opportunities. It covers three disciplines, Archives, Records Management and Archive Conservation. Each attracts people from varied backgrounds with unique skills. Whether you’re thinking of studying an ARA-accredited qualification, applying for an apprenticeship, or forging your own route into the profession, you can find more information on this website.
Archivists safeguard our national, collective history, preserving crucial events and stories for all. They manage and maintain documents and other materials that have important historical and cultural significance for individuals, organisations and nations. As an archivist, a large part of your work is related to preserving information and making it accessible to all users. Archives include valuable historical books, papers, maps, photographs, prints, films, tapes, videos and digital records. Researchers, academics, the general public and work colleagues, are all users of archives and we need to improve access to collections in person and online. Find out more about working in an archive as an archivist or in a related role here.
Archive conservators work with archivists and other heritage professions and organisations. They are responsible for the preservation and conservation of historic documents. These include a range of materials and formats such as manuscript documents and books, parchment deeds and maps, seals as well as modern media including photographic material. Archive conservators possess a high level of manual dexterity, combined with aesthetic flair, patience and sympathy for the materials they are working with. Knowledge of paper and parchment history and chemical processes is also required.
Records managers are responsible for the effective and appropriate management of an organisation’s records in all forms, from their creation to their eventual disposal. As a professional activity it is also related to knowledge and information management, as well as information compliance (data protection and freedom of information). As a records manager you provide access to accurate records for a range of operational and strategic purposes, ensuring that legal obligations for the creation and retention of records are met. This includes controlling the number of records created and stored, and identifying which records are to be preserved for historical and research purposes and which should be destroyed.