Kathryn Price

I am an Archive and Records Management Apprentice based at The Box, Plymouth. I started working towards this Level 7 Apprenticeship in 2023. I am part of the first cohort to enrol on this new and exciting course, provided by Westminster Adult Education Service.

I learn best from hands on experience. Being able to combine work and study, with the opportunity to learn from professionals within the sector, drew me into applying. I was also personally not in a position to go to University. Being able to pursue my career goals with an alternative pathway is a fantastic opportunity.

Before studying at WAES I worked for The Box as a Collections Assistant. I had some experience working with collections and was eager to advance my skills and become an Archivist!

Meeting other apprentices and visiting other organisations within the sector has been brilliant. Being able to broaden your knowledge of the sector and have the support of others on your course is really valuable.

Teaching is delivered online and in-person. I’ve found the teaching to be well-structured and delivered at a good pace. The tutors are very friendly and happy to help with any questions. Topics covered by WAES relate to my job role. My mentors at The Box have also been great in ensuring projects align with the course.

In August 2024, I was fortunate to attend and speak at the Archives and Records Association conference in Birmingham, as part of a panel on the Level 7 Archives and Records Management Apprenticeship. This was a great opportunity to share my experiences, advocate for alternative pathways and develop my public speaking skills.

Getting back into writing and knowing how to structure answers for assignments, after some years out of education, was a challenge at the start. However, the support from WAES and my tutor was brilliant when it came to tackling assignments. Spending some time at the start to focus on re-developing these skills also really helped.

I am based at The Box, a museum, gallery and archive in Plymouth. As well as a paper archive we also hold extensive photographic and moving image collections. Working with these fascinating archives and having the opportunity to develop my collections care, management and curation skills has been fantastic! Using our collections to tell new and exciting stories has been very rewarding.

My aim is to continue working with archives and achieve a permanent Archivist job role. The course is helping to improve my knowledge of the theory and topics associated with this specialism. The support from my mentors at The Box has also been instrumental in my progress and the development of my practical skills.

If you have a passion for archives and records management I’d recommend looking into this course. The teachings and hands-on-experience make this a really fantastic opportunity.