Museums Galleries Scotland’s (MGS) new interns programme, which launched last month, attracted more than 3,200 applications for just 20 places.
The programme aims to promote skills-sharing and sustainability through on-the-job training.
Placements were offered at museums, galleries and local authorities across Scotland. The 20 successful applicants will receive tax-free bursaries of £15,000 to support them through their year-long traineeships.
The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, National Mining Museum and Scottish Maritime Museum are among those running placements.
MGS chief executive Joanne Orr said: “We designed the programme to meet the needs of the sector and offer opportunities for graduates to learn useful skills on the ground from other professionals, in a working environment.
“The sheer number of applications received illustrates the appetite there is for a project of this type.”
The scheme aimed to attract graduates from diverse backgrounds and did not require applicants to have previous training in museum-specific skills.
It was funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Skills for the Future programme, which closed this year.
Maurice Davies, the Museums Association’s head of policy, said the numbers applying for the MGS scheme showed how competitive it had become for graduates to enter the sector.
“From one point of view, it’s great that so many people want to work in museums,” he said. “But it’s not easy for the individuals struggling to get a career in the sector.
“The MGS scheme is an excellent way of helping people train for museum work. Sadly, most museums can’t afford to pay interns.”
The programme aims to promote skills-sharing and sustainability through on-the-job training.
Placements were offered at museums, galleries and local authorities across Scotland. The 20 successful applicants will receive tax-free bursaries of £15,000 to support them through their year-long traineeships.
The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, National Mining Museum and Scottish Maritime Museum are among those running placements.
MGS chief executive Joanne Orr said: “We designed the programme to meet the needs of the sector and offer opportunities for graduates to learn useful skills on the ground from other professionals, in a working environment.
“The sheer number of applications received illustrates the appetite there is for a project of this type.”
The scheme aimed to attract graduates from diverse backgrounds and did not require applicants to have previous training in museum-specific skills.
It was funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Skills for the Future programme, which closed this year.
Maurice Davies, the Museums Association’s head of policy, said the numbers applying for the MGS scheme showed how competitive it had become for graduates to enter the sector.
“From one point of view, it’s great that so many people want to work in museums,” he said. “But it’s not easy for the individuals struggling to get a career in the sector.
“The MGS scheme is an excellent way of helping people train for museum work. Sadly, most museums can’t afford to pay interns.”
