As a Youth Friendly Employer, Historic England have partnered with other organisations to develop exciting new heritage apprenticeships. Find out more…
What is a heritage apprenticeship?
Are you fascinated by history? Perhaps you love visiting old castle or exploring Iron Age forts? It’s all part of England’s history and heritage, and a heritage career is one where you can play a part to help others enjoy that history for generations to come.
Some people might think you need a degree to start a career in heritage, but that is a myth. You can get started with a heritage apprenticeship.
Heritage apprenticeships from Historic England are just like any other modern apprenticeship, except they’re specially designed for the historic environment sector.
With a heritage apprenticeship you’ll learn a profession through formal training for a minimum of 12 months, gaining experience in the workplace and earning money at the same time. You will usually spend 80% of your time learning through your day-to-day role at one of the Historic England offices and 20% of your time attending college. Sometimes, your designated learning coach may visit you at your workplace or set up online sessions to support you virtually.
With a heritage apprenticeship you can become skilled in ways to care for, conserve, and manage our heritage and historic environment into the future.
Heritage apprenticeships will:
- Offer important new routes into a range of professions
- Increase diversity within the sector
- Provide development opportunities for staff
- Address staff shortages and specialist skills gaps in the sector
- Guarantee professional competence to professional standards
- Foster leadership and people skills for managers and mentors
What heritage apprenticeships are there for early careers?
Archaeological Technician Level 3
Provide support to Archaeologists undertaking archaeological Investigation, which may comprise surveys, excavations and post-excavation analysis.
Historic Environment Advice Assistant Level 4
Provide technical, research and logistical support to Historic Environment professionals working with heritage assets in the planning and development process, and on the legal and policy frameworks for their protection.
Here’s what Listing and Casework apprentice Michael had to say about doing this Level 4 Historic Environment Advice apprenticeship:
“I knew that I wanted a career in the historical and heritage sector, but I had a limited understanding of how to get started. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to work in the heritage sector but doesn’t necessarily know much about it. It has been so valuable for helping me understand what the industry does and my place in it. Without the programme, I would be confined to a role that gives me little insight into what else goes on in the industry and Historic England.”
Cultural Heritage Conservation Technician Level 4
Work under the supervision of professional conservators, conservation scientists or senior conservation to ensure the preservation of cultural heritage objects or collections housed in archives, art galleries, libraries, museums, private collections, as well as historic and ancient sites.
Historic England has one permanent conservator. This conservation apprenticeship can also be undertaken with multiple organisations with scope for progressing your career. You can find out more with the Institute for Conservation (ICON) and Institute for Archaeologists (CIFA).
Career progression with heritage apprenticeships
Just like any modern apprenticeship, heritage apprenticeships give you room to grow and choose what path you want to take in life – and how you want to get there. If you do a Level 4 Historic Environment Advice apprenticeship, you’ll make a great Historic Environment professional and your future with Historic England will look bright as you gain confidence in your heritage work. You’ll also pick up skills and knowledge to progress into all kinds of careers involving research, planning, analysis and policy.
Heritage apprenticeships go all the way up to level 7, so that one day you could undertake a apprenticeship to become an expert in your field as a Cultural Heritage Conservator, Historic Enviroment Advisor or Archaeologist Specialist.
Why do an apprenticeship at Historic England?
Historic England apprenticeships are open to everyone. It doesn’t matter what your background is. You will only ever need the minimum entry requirement qualifications for the apprenticeship standard you’re applying to – usually GCSE English and Maths (level 4). Your greatest asset will be your enthusiasm for how heritage connects communities – and this applies to Historic England’s non–heritage apprenticeships as well.Historic England offers a variety of apprenticeships across heritage and non–heritage roles. Can you picture yourself taking part in archaeological excavations at a historic site, or perhaps providing research on the planning and development process of a historic building? Or maybe you’d like to support people by providing HR guidance? Historic England apprenticeships have a lot of variety, so you can find one that matches your skills and interests.
Hear from a Historic England apprentice
Emi shares what she got out of her Historic Environment advice apprenticeship with Historic England.
Visit the Historic England Early Careers profile on this site to find out more!
Historic England Early Careers
Discover early careers in heritage for all backgrounds, skills and interests.
Historic England
