Workforce Composition

The workforce in museums, archives and libraries covers all those who work in the sector, both paid and unpaid.In addition to improving access to training and development for all, diversifying the workforce so that museums, archives and libraries reflect the communities they serve is a key priority.

Diversity

A diverse workforce composition is essential if museums, archives and libraries are to deliver a truly 21st century service to their users and meet the challenges of changing needs. MLA has begun to tackle this issue on a number of fronts.

Nearly £500,000 has been invested from the Renaissance in the Regions programme towards funding for bursaries offered under the Museum Association's Diversify programme .

In 2005, MLA commissioned Zebra Square to investigate the factors which tend to discourage members of the BME communities from seeking careers in the museums, libraries and archive sector, with a view to informing future policy.

Barriers to Entering Careers in the Cultural Sector (executive summary; PDF 53KB)
Barriers to Entering the Cultural Sector (full report; PDF 1MB)

Volunteers

Volunteers are a vital and sometimes undervalued component of the workforce in the sector. We are determined to increase the support available to them and improve access to training and development for all workers within the sector, both paid and unpaid.

In 2002 MLA commissioned the Institute of Volunteering Research to produce a study of volunteering across the cultural sector, as the first stage in developing a longitudinal profile of this important cohort. This research has now been re-visited , and some changes in the group profile are already apparent. Both reports are available for downloading.

Volunteers in the Cultural Sector (executive summary; PDF 30KB)
Volunteers in the Cultural Sector (full report; PDF 808KB)