Workforce development

Workforce development: ‘a key issue for museums, libraries and archives…’

Recent research has identified gaps and shortages in workforce skills in museums, libraries and archives in such areas as customer care, leadership, advocacy, management and IT skills. There are also concerns about the composition of the workforce, in particular the fact that 60 per cent are over the age of 40, and the very low proportion of disabled people and those from ethnic minority groups who work in the sector.

MLA East Midlands’ workforce development programme is designed to address these issues within the national framework developed by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), by:

• conducting an analysis of the training needs of the museums, libraries and archives workforce in the East Midlands,
  
  
• facilitating learning opportunities to meet these needs,
  
  
• developing partnerships with Learning and Skills Councils, Sector Skills Councils and others involved in training and support for qualifications,
  
  
• cross-domain positive action work, to encourage greater diversity in the workforce,
  
  
• supporting and extending volunteer activity in museums, libraries and archives,
  
  
• disseminating information and good practice relating to the workforce.

The ‘workforce’ is defined as everyone who works in museums, libraries and archives, whether paid or unpaid, at all levels. It includes volunteers, freelance staff and contract workers as well as paid staff who are directly employed.