Dear Cyberfolk,
I'm a 1993 graduate of the double program at Sir Sandford Fleming College in
Peterborough,Ontario ,Canada. That is Museum Administration and Art
Conservation Techniques programs.In 1991 I was laid off in the recession. I
could collect unemployment insurance or go for the Transitions Program a
government program in Ontarion then. My province paid for my education and
texts if I chose a completely opposite career from what I'd been doing. The
time was right. Forty hours a week class and 70 hours homework for three
years plus and eight month split Consrevation internship at Colonial
Williamsburg ( 1 month) and 7 months at the Royal British Columbia Museum in
Victoria, British Columbia then a 5 month Administration internship at the
Peterborough Centennial Museum and Archives in Ontario.
And don't waint for your college to find you an internship ,ask where you'd
always wanted to go and aim for a museum in that area. Don't overlook Europe
and it's possibilities.
I simultaneously undertook (bit-off) at times more than I could chew. Now
I'm working in an exciting Conservation Career.

As an Object Conservator of 6 years experience and at the tender age of 52
I'd like to share what a internship should be and still is for me. How tough
is it to find a career in the field? I mention my age as many of you are my
junior and perhaps are unsure of how to begin.
Many of you out there like me broke gandma's china when she was out and
hastily glued it up with mucilage (sp) before she came home or had secret
desires to touch those neat artifacts behind the glass. I went back to
school as a mature student with young people my children's age but they got
over it. Studying with young peole kept me young and I learned how to retain
info and cram for exams all over again and it was exciting.
I'm here in America ,a Canadian who couldn't find work in my field as an
Objects Conservator.I wrote 125 letters around the world while still in
college over 4 years. Don't wait til you graduate. I was ready to move
anywhere.
Many museums are finally seeing the light that their collections have
gathered dust for years . Preventive Conservation is now the buzzword . Here
in North Carolina small museums and historical societies call me just about
every week on where to begin. Its great to have some of the answers. They
realize a healthy collection brings in the visitor.
Don't be discouraged, but before you wait to enroll in an expensive training
program research the salary scales, can you live on $20 -28K ?
Approach your city/town museum conservators, ask them for an information
interview a chance for you both to meet ,hopefully in the lab for a looksee.
Don't be shy , ask what they like and don't like about their work.
The job market is hidden. There are rarely opportunities listed in your city
paper- the secret is networking. Better still if off college this summer
approach your museum conservator and if you show yourself to be a
conscientious person you may just convince them you are worth sharing
knowlege by being a volunteer for the summer. Once in the door learn how the
conservator likes to work,respect we can't always answer every question
every five minutes. A good conservator should ask what you want from your
generous offer to volunteer and design a mini course outline for you from
their internships.
Save the questions for the end of the day. Be an effective listener and you
have the makings of a conservator.

A good internship should be structured and yet provide you with a special
project where you are free to explore the resources at hand ,apply
/demonstrate your skills. A good internship should reward you with a
fieldtrip after youv'e proven yourself having done the "Dirty work".  A good
internship should in fact compliment your museum studies program. A good
museum studies program should shed light on reality of what it is to work in
the field. Yup , I got dirty work too! Thats why we wear nitrile gloves and
learn about health and safety. I worked in a warehouse dusting the contents
of a Chinese Apothecary shop closed in Victoria since the fifties.
Today I am preparing all the contents and mahogany casework for the 1910
Brantley Pharmacy for our Health and Healing exhibit. I know what to do
every day because I remembered what I learned from doing the dirty work in
that warehouse.
I am always using my interships as "touchstones". When I have a problem I
think back to how would so and so have done that . Sometimes I call them up
,thank them again for the great experience they shared with me then ask them
lots of questions.
After museum hours , leaves time for exploring the region you happen to be
in during your internship.
The hardest part for for me ,was to leave my family to complete an
internship. My wife was in Peterborough,Ontario, my daughter in Australia,
my son in British Columbia and of course my dog! Will you be prepared for that?
My eight months went by too quickly.I found employment five months after
graduation.
If you have a chance to attend Conservation Conferences like the AIC through
a conservation friend ,that's another way in which to look into what
conservators do. Listen to professional papers presented.
As usual it's been fun sharing with you. I have gone out on the limb to
share so you know what it's like before you commit- are you ready for the
time of your life?

Programs in the United States:
Consult an American Institute of Conservation Directory for U.S. programs
,call your local conservator.

Programs in Canada are at :
Queens University-Kingston,Ontario, Canada
Sir Sandford Fleming College,Peterborough,Ontario,Canada
Univerity of Victoria,British Columbia ,Canada

Sincerely,


Len Hambleton-Chief Conservator
The North Carolina Museum of History
Raleigh N.C. 27601

P.S.
All ideas and opinions are entirely mine in the spirit of sharing .