Positive action trainee: Nkosana Mpofu
Nkosana Mpofu, a positive action trainee at Tyne and Wear Museums, would not have been able to pursue a career in museums without the Diversify programme.
A refugee from Africa, Nkosana was granted leave to remain in this country several years ago. He applied successfully for a traineeship at Tyne and Wear Museums and is combining it with a block release course in museum studies at Newcastle University.
'From October to January I have a three week study cycle which involves two weeks at university followed by a week of work experience at the museum service. From January to September I do work experience full time. In return I receive an allowance roughly equivalent to 75 per cent of a museum assistant's salary,' says Nkosana.
His training programme at the museum service is covering a broad range of disciplines. For the first three months, he worked with the social history department, and then was involved in documenting and handling objects for an exhibition and choosing entries for a portrait exhibition in Sunderland.
Nkosana works in different departments, such as the learning department, working with schools and colleges, outreach, exhibitions, management or marketing.
'I review my work experience programme with my line manager whenever I change departments. We look at what I'm going to be doing and what I should expect to achieve. So before I went to the social history department we agreed that I would get some experience of object hanging, team work, research, and documentation, plus I would get help out in the stores,' says Nkosana.
'I don't know what will happen when the traineeship is up. I've still got so much to experience. But I do know that without this programme I would never have been able to take this career path.'
To see more case studies, click here
A refugee from Africa, Nkosana was granted leave to remain in this country several years ago. He applied successfully for a traineeship at Tyne and Wear Museums and is combining it with a block release course in museum studies at Newcastle University.
'From October to January I have a three week study cycle which involves two weeks at university followed by a week of work experience at the museum service. From January to September I do work experience full time. In return I receive an allowance roughly equivalent to 75 per cent of a museum assistant's salary,' says Nkosana.
His training programme at the museum service is covering a broad range of disciplines. For the first three months, he worked with the social history department, and then was involved in documenting and handling objects for an exhibition and choosing entries for a portrait exhibition in Sunderland.
Nkosana works in different departments, such as the learning department, working with schools and colleges, outreach, exhibitions, management or marketing.
'I review my work experience programme with my line manager whenever I change departments. We look at what I'm going to be doing and what I should expect to achieve. So before I went to the social history department we agreed that I would get some experience of object hanging, team work, research, and documentation, plus I would get help out in the stores,' says Nkosana.
'I don't know what will happen when the traineeship is up. I've still got so much to experience. But I do know that without this programme I would never have been able to take this career path.'
To see more case studies, click here
