Cornwall Council
Apprentice Library and Archive Service Assistant
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The Service and Team
The Archive and Cornish Studies Service cares for over 1.5 million manuscripts, maps, photographs, books, plans, audio-visual and electronic records relating to Cornwall’s rich history and culture. We are based in Kresen Kernow, in Redruth. For further information on the service please visit Kresen Kernow – A home for Cornwall's archives.
Over 14,000 people a year from across Cornwall and from around the world visit the centre to use the collection, browse an exhibition, or take part in an activity. Thousands more use our website and online catalogue, or remote enquiry service. The small team of archivists, librarians, assistants and specialist staff work together to make the collections and services accessible to all.
The apprenticeship is for a fixed term of 18 months and is funded by the Sounds of the South West, a National Heritage Lottery Fund project. Our provider for the apprenticeship is LMP Library, Information & Archive Services (LIAS) Apprenticeship - LMP LMP Library, Information & Archive Services (LIAS) Apprenticeship and you will be part of a cohort of three apprentices across the region.
The Role
The role will undertake a range of tasks supporting day-to-day services and the Sounds of the South West project. With guidance and hands-on experience, you will:
- Provide a friendly, professional service, responding to user enquiries in person, online or by phone.
- Help people to find and use information in digital and physical formats.
- Retrieve and return books and archives safely and in good condition to the shelves and strongrooms.
- Organise and maintain data and digital resources using specialist systems and tools.
- Promote services, resources, and activities to encourage engagement and usage.
- Support users in developing digital and information skills.
- Apply basic research skills to help answer information requests and direct more complex queries appropriately.
- Follow organisational procedures, including data protection, confidentiality, and ethical use of information.
You will be regularly using Outlook, Excel, Teams, and our collections management systems, as well as working in a warehouse type environment.
An interest in working in an archive and gaining experience with archive and library collections is essential.
This role is offered as an apprenticeship, so you must be eligible for apprenticeship funding. Your previous qualifications and experience will be considered to ensure the apprenticeship is appropriate for you.
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Working Pattern
The role is part-time, Monday-Thursday, 29.6 hours per week, including 6 hours per week off-the-job learning. It includes some Saturday working on a rota basis.
What You’ll Need to Succeed
We are looking for a team player who enjoys helping others, is organised, and open to learning new skills. You don’t need to know everything about archives already - but these qualities will help you succeed:
- Good people skills – being approachable and able to help a wide range of people and make them feel welcome.
- Confidence asking questions and sharing information – helping people find what they need and sometimes writing emails or creating social media content.
- Digital skills – using computers and accurately updating online systems and databases.
- Problem-solving mindset – thinking on your feet when someone needs help.
- Organised and methodical – keeping books, records and resources in order, sorting documents into date or another order.
- Focused with good attention to detail – complete one task at time, such as repeatedly renaming digital files or returning items to the correct shelves.
- Awareness of fairness and inclusion – making sure everyone can access information and services
Please read the role profile for the full details of this role attached below in this advert.
What You’ll Get in Return
Cornwall Council’s ambition is to be an employer of choice, a high performing Council and a learning organisation. We commit to providing a reward and benefits package to attract, motivate and reward our employees. We offer a range of flexible working options to our staff. This helps provide our employees with a greater work/life balance. Whilst still ensuring that service needs are met.
Our core employee rewards and benefits include:
- a competitive salary.
- a defined benefit pension scheme, based on your career average earnings. This includes the option for extra voluntary contributions
- a generous annual leave entitlement with the potential to purchase additional leave.
- a national award-winning employee health and wellbeing programme
- Employee benefits scheme giving employees access to a wide range of discounts to local and national goods and services
Additional Information
Cornwall Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship or transfer existing sponsorship for this role.
The full role profile is attached here Apprentice L3 Library and Archive Services Assistant
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For more information, please contact Deborah Tritton – deborah.tritton@cornwall.gov.uk.
Application Process
Please attach a supporting statement to your application, you can add your Education & Qualifications details manually using the application form timeline or you can upload your CV. Remember to demonstrate why you are suitable against each of the points marked as ‘Application’ on the Role Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience, which clearly illustrates what you did and the effect it had. Guidance on how to complete your application can be found here – The application process.
Please note that applications cannot be edited after they have been submitted, please contact careers@cornwall.gov.uk if you have any queries or require assistance with your application.
Existing employees must apply using their Cornwall Council email address through the Opportunity Marketplace on Oracle.
Cornwall Council deliver services to more than half a million local people and over five million visitors a year. Working here - Cornwall Council Working here - Cornwall Council
We are happy to talk about flexible working options such as part-time or compressed hours. More examples of our flexible working opportunities can be found here - flexible working options flexible working options.
Fairness and inclusion are at the heart of our vision for Cornwall. In order to best serve our communities, we are striving to achieve a diverse workforce that is inclusive of all backgrounds, cultures and identities; e.g., race, disability, sex, gender reassignment status, age, religion and sexual orientation. We are an equal opportunities and Disability Confident employer, and we will assess applicants on their merits.
Cornwall Council is committed to safeguarding and following safer recruitment principles to help make sure our staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children, young people and adults at risk. It’s a vital part of creating a safe and positive environment and making a commitment to keeping all service users safe from harm.
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