Consultancy brief: Conservation Training Certificate Scheme review
Introduction – Archives and Records Association (ARA)
ARA is the lead professional body for archivists, archive conservators and records managers in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The ARA supports its membership through training, continuing professional development, career support, professional help, and advice, and by providing a community to which the membership can belong and from which they draw benefit through open discussion and debate, as well as through gathering of information and advice.
Our strategic aims and further information about ARA are available in full on our website www.archives.org.uk
The ARA has offered a qualification in archive conservation known as the Archive Conservation Training Scheme (ACTS) since 1970 (previously known as the conservation training scheme CTC).
ACTS originated as a way of helping archivists in local authorities who were moving into archive conservation as a career. It has evolved over time to become the established route to a career as an archive conservator. It does not rely on academic qualifications as a prerequisite and is the only on-the-job training course of its kind in the UK & Ireland. Our aim is that the ACTS also provides a direct route to ARA professional registration, guiding trainees through continuing professional development.
The training scheme is a highly vocational course with significant theoretical input and provides primary training in the fundamental aspects of archive conservation, essential for a conservator to operate in a professional capacity within an archive setting.
The scheme is managed and administered by volunteers within ARA, bringing in external examiners for assessment purposes. The programme comprises seven units or training modules, delivered through two lecture weeks, five or six placements in different Instructing Offices (totalling about 25 weeks), ongoing private study, bench-based practice, portfolio preparation and trainee meetings. It is also possible for students to take elements (modules) of the course independently.
The whole programme may take two to three years to complete, depending on the availability of instructors to supply in-house placements.
A three-part assessment comprises continuous assessment by Instructors during placements, a 3-hour written examination and a panel assessment/viva voce in relation to a portfolio of work put together by the student. External examiners are appointed to verify the examination and panel assessments.
Context
The Archive Conservation Training Scheme has been suspended for the last two years whilst existing trainees completed their training, and the syllabus and assessment criteria were reviewed and updated. Due to funding cuts and increase in workload for conservators working within the public sector, it is increasingly difficult to find instructors and assessors. The way ACTS operates needs to change to take advantage of improvements in technology and ways of working.
ARA has also introduced an Archive Conservator Competency Framework to support the career development and CPD of archive conservators and those with an interest in archive conservation.
Aims and Objectives
The purpose of this tender is to invite proposals to review how the Archive Conservation Training Scheme operates and to make recommendations as to how to make it a better experience for trainees, instructors, and assessors.
The syllabus for the training scheme has been reviewed by the training scheme committee and its instructors so we therefore do not require a review of the syllabus, but the first task for the consultant will be to map the syllabus learning outcomes to the Archive Conservator Competency Framework created by the ARA. ACTS candidates will be assessed using this competency framework.
Key deliverables:
1. Map syllabus learning outcomes to the ARA Archive Conservator Competency Framework, identifying:
The level of competence provided by ACTS
Competencies that do not map to the syllabus’ learning outcomes.
Implement syllabus updates and bring together overall training scheme documentation into a usable syllabus/ training scheme document
2. Work with the ACTS committee to agree the level of competency that candidates must achieve.
3. Using current best practice in delivering training, consider the most appropriate ways for ACTS instructors to train candidates to the required levels of competence, suggesting appropriate training avenues to consider. Present these as recommendations.
4. Using current best practice in the assessment of candidates, consider the most appropriate ways for ACTS to assess candidates to the agreed levels including the ARA Archive Conservator Competency framework. Present these as recommendations.
5. Help to define the experience required and the role description for a new instructor and map out the development of a ‘pathway’ to prepare new instructors to become ready for assessment.
Key sources of information
https://www.archives.org.uk/archive-conservation-training-scheme
https://www.archives.org.uk/certificate-in-archive-conservation-faqs
Methodology
Please tell us in your proposal what your methodology will be including research methods and how any working/steering group will be involved in the work.
Product
To produce a 2–3-year action plan as well as a written report with recommendations with an aim to re-open enrolments for the training scheme later in 2025.
Present your findings and recommendations to the ARA Board and answer any questions where needed.
Costs
The budget for this project is £5,000 excluding VAT. Please provide a budget with your tender, stating inclusive or net of VAT.
Timetable
Please include a project timetable with key milestones in your proposal.
Liability Insurance
Please include a copy of your professional liability cover with the proposal.
Contractor Personnel
Please include in your proposal details of who would be working on the project with a clear indication of who will be leading.
Monitoring
This project will be managed by the ARA Chief Executive - John Chambers with support from the Head of Professional Standards and Development - Chris Sheridan. Advice and guidance will be offered by the Registrar of the existing ACTS – Katie Proctor- and representatives of the committee, instructors and assessors.
Quotations and timings
Completed proposals should be sent by e-mail to John Chambers, Chief Executive, Archives and Records Association, john.chambers@archives.org.uk by Friday 29th November 2024.
For an informal discussion contact: Chris Sheridan chris.sheridan@archives.org.uk and/or Katie Proctor conservationtraining@archives.org.uk