Cultural Heritage

The content of this Pathway has been agreed by Creative and Cultural Skills. This is the only Cultural Heritage Apprenticeship Pathway in the Creative, Design and Media sector approved for use in Wales that is eligible for Medr fund.

ISSUE DATE: 23/09/2025 ACW Framework No.: FR03494

Learning Programme Content

The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:

Qualifications,
Essential Skills
On/off the job training

The total minimum credit value required for the Level 5 Pathway in Cultural Heritage Management is 55 credits

Entry requirements

Level 5

There is a shortage of young people entering this sector with an interest in and an aptitude for cultural heritage. Employers are seeking to widen the pool of potential new recruits into cultural heritage and to create an alternative entry and progression route for the sector.

Employers are particularly interested in those who show a keen interest in working in the sector and have an interest in cultural heritage, museums and collections.

Applicants may have achieved the Level 3 Apprenticeship in Cultural and Heritage Venue Operations or other relevant qualifications, or may have prior experience that demonstrate the above.

However, training providers and employers will use initial assessment to ensure that applicants have a fair opportunity to demonstrate any interests or abilities. Programmes will then be tailored to meet individual needs, recognising any prior qualifications and/or experience.

Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)

Level 5: Cultural Heritage Management

Level 5: Cultural Heritage Management Qualifications

Participants must achieve the following competence and knowledge qualifications below.

Level 5 Certificate in Professional Collections Management
Awarding Body	Qualification No.	Credit Value	Total Qualification Time	Combined / Competence / Knowledge	Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s)
Agored Cymru	C00/0683/8 601/4823/8	23	230	Competence	English-Welsh

Level 4 Certificate in Cultural Heritage Management
Awarding Body	Qualification No.	Credit Value	Total Qualification Time	Combined / Competence / Knowledge	Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s)
Agored Cymru	C00/0684/0 601/4824/X	20	200	Knowledge	English-Welsh

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

Level 5: Cultural Heritage Management	Level	Minimum Credit Value
Communication	2	6
Application of number	2	6

Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh.

On/Off the Job training

Pathway	Minimum On the Job Training Hours	Minimum Off the Job Training Hours
Level 5: Cultural Heritage Management	38	228

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

Competence Qualification - 23 credits

Knowledge Qualification - 20 Credits

Total On and Off the job training hours for the 18 month programme is 266

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

6 credits/60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication
6 credits/60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number

Other additional requirements

Since the Apprenticeship may involve working with children/young people and/or vulnerable adults, entrants must be willing to undergo a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check.

Progression

Level 5: Cultural Heritage Management

Progression into the Level 5 Apprenticeship in Cultural Heritage Management may be from a variety of routes including:

Level 3 Apprenticeship in Cultural and Heritage Venue Operations
Level 3 Diploma in Cultural Heritage
Previous work or experience - including a portfolio of evidence
General or vocational qualifications related to or relevant to this type of work.

Progression from the Level 5 Apprenticeship in Cultural Heritage Management may include:

Higher Education programmes at Level 6 and above.
Non accredited programmes and continuing professional development or training

Jobs Specific roles which would lead on from completion of this framework include:

Curatorial Assistant
Collections Assistant

For further information about careers in the creative and cultural industries visit: www.creativechoices.co.uk/

Equality and diversity

It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.

The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.

Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.

Around half of the workforce, which is predominantly White (93%) are female and just over half of the workforce is aged over 40. Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests people from working-class backgrounds and disabled people are also significantly under represented.

This is due mainly to:

patchy knowledge and understanding of practical ways to address workforce diversity such as through positive action schemes and changes to recruitment practices
a tendency within the sector for new recruits to start on no or low wages for up to two years in some instances means that opportunities for people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds can be limited.
a lack of good careers information demonstrating the range and scope of jobs within the sector
a poor image of the sector and a lack of diverse role models, which is exacerbated by limited contact with under-represented groups
a lack of accurate data on the make up of the cultural heritage sector workforce.

Key priority actions for Cultural Heritage include:

the Welsh Baccalaureate Principal Learning Qualification for Creative and Media which has been raising awareness in schools
actively challenging the culture of unpaid work experience which dominates the creative and cultural industries and creating better choices for more people. Creative Apprenticeships were a brand new alternative route into the creative industries, one based on ability and potential rather than academic track record or social background and contacts. We built a ground swell of support through targeted engagement and campaigning activity in order to demonstrate how apprenticeships could work for learners and employers alike.
Creative Choices careers website offers careers information and advice, listings for training, case studies about working in the industry, access to networks and mentoring - http://www.creative-choices.co.uk/
actively challenging the culture of unpaid work experience which dominates the creative and cultural industries and creating better choices for more people. Creative Apprenticeships were a brand new alternative route into the creative industries, one based on ability and potential rather than academic track record or social background and contacts. We built a ground swell of support through targeted engagement and campaigning activity in order to demonstrate how apprenticeships could work for learners and employers alike.

Creative & Cultural Skills' Action Plan includes:

make the business case for diversity
demonstrate leadership and commitment to diversity at all levels within organisations including boards
ensure the diversity agenda is seen as important across the workforce, including volunteers and placements
create early awareness of cultural heritage careers through more opportunities for different groups to engage with the sector:
disseminate information on different approaches to diversifying the workforce
develop new careers information and resources for the sector – increase the use of web resources such as Creative & Cultural Skill’s Creative Choices www.creative-choices.co.uk

Recruiting a diverse workforce – paid and voluntary – has direct business benefits; it ensures that organisations have a workforce that reflects the communities they serve, helping them to understand their customers better so they can ensure their services meet the needs of the whole community.

Apprenticeships are seen as a vital route to encourage and facilitate, a greater diversity of individuals into the industry in order to challenge graduate bias at the point of entry.

Entry conditions to this framework, therefore, are extremely flexible and mentoring has been included to offer additional support and increase the chances of apprentices successfully completing the Apprenticeship.

Creative & Cultural Skills will monitor take up and achievement of all Apprenticeships through its employer led Qualifications and Apprenticeships Group and take steps to address any barriers to take up and achievement as part of our Sector Qualifications Strategy.

Employment responsibilities and rights

Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory. But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16 years -18 year group) receive a company induction programme.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of this pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government/Medr Apprenticeships Guidance.

Further information may be obtained from: Medr

Document revisions

19 November 2021

23 September 2025 - By Nicola Beasley Level 3 removed