Archivist and Records Manager Apprentice
UK Research and Innovation
Cambridge (CB3 0ET)
Closes in 16 days (Sunday 31 August 2025)
Posted on 13 August 2025
Contents
Summary
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has an exciting opportunity for an Archivist and Records Manager Apprentice, enabling the postholder to become a qualified archivist through a new technical training route. The apprenticeship provides an alternative path to getting a traditional postgraduate qualification in Archives Management.
- Wage
-
£31,418 a year
- Training course
- Archivist and records manager (level 7)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 37 hours per week, working hours TBC
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 13 October 2025
- Duration
-
3 years 4 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Reporting to the Archives, Records and Information Compliance Manager, you will get involved in the real work of BAS’ Archives Service, helping colleagues to deliver projects that manage our collections, provide access to them and engage a wide range of people.
The apprentice will be involved in the core work of the BAS Archives and multiple projects, all of which enable effective management, access and preservation of our collections, develop records management and help ensure effective information governance within BAS.
Key Responsibilities:
Managing Archives and Records:
- Process new accessions and update archive records
- Support the care and preservation of digital and physical records
- Assist in classifying, selecting, and storing records to recognised standards
- Ensure compliance with data protection, copyright, and IP legislation
Providing Access:
- Catalogue records in line with professional standards
- Support digitisation projects, including metadata creation
- Facilitate research access and administer use licences
Engagement and Outreach:
- Help plan events and activities to promote the BAS Archives
- Create content for public and academic audiences
- Support funding applications and externally funded projects
Where you'll work
British Antarctica Survey
High Cross
Madingley Road
Cambridge
CB3 0ET
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL
Training course
Archivist and records manager (level 7)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Negotiate with depositors/donors regarding acquisitions, and with internal and external colleagues/stakeholders regarding security, maintenance and disposal of records
- Confirm that the archives and/or records are stored correctly and they are monitored in accordance with legislation, guidelines and regimes for example PD BS 4971:2017 British Standard Guide for the storage and exhibition of archival materials.
- Develop and maintain archives and records management policies, procedures and processes ensuring their application.
- Consider and implement selection, acquisition, retention, appraisal, classification, audit and disposal principles to records.
- Organise and manage the digitisation of archival material, including identifying suitable records, scanning, creating metadata, and making images available online.
- Manage the care of born-digital and digitised records, including their management, appraisal, classification, storage, access and, where appropriate, long term preservation.
- Arrange, describe and classify analogue, digitised and born-digital records in a variety of formats in accordance with professional standards
- Confirm that accurate paper and digital location records are kept considering the use of different processes such as barcoding.
- Manage compliance with legislation and regulations as appropriate to the service and situation, for example health and safety, Data Protection legislation, copyright and intellectual property.
- Organise and manage audits to make sure that the materials are identified and are stored as safely and securely as possible. This includes making sure that flood, fire, preservation and conservation plans are identified and adhered to by the organization.
- Work in partnership with other specialists for example conservators, sound technicians, or software engineers/developers and other IT experts to arrange for work to be carried out.
- Develop/maintain risk assessment(s) and undertake regular reviews to identify and prioritise risks including mitigation actions
- Use IT software and systems to accurately store, interrogate, interpret and analyse information as required by the archives/records service or by internal/external stakeholders.
- Use appropriate technology and specialist equipment relevant to the collections or services for example workstations or software suites to support digital preservation.
- Develop/manage outreach strategies to engage, develop and maintain internal and external audiences and communities such as open days, social media use or accessible exhibitions to ensure accessibility for as wide an audience as possible.
- Use influencing skills with key decision makers in the sector to enhance the archives and records management service.
- Commission, undertake and disseminate research to support the archives and records management service and/or facilitate research requests from stakeholders ensuring timely and accurate responses.
- Share best practice and/or deliver training to internal staff/external organisations regarding archival or records management activities
- Identify potential funding streams, present ideas, analysis and content and make recommendations, usually in the form of reports, to support the submission of various types of funding applications and future funding strategies.
- Apply project and budget management principles to plan, priorities and balance workload to meet agreed timescales, cost and quality objectives, observing and acting within relevant delegated expenditure authorities and resource streams
- Create content and present information about the collections and/or services for relevant internal or external audiences. Keep up-to-date with sector and wider trends for digital engagement, making recommendations for implementation of changes identified.
- Apply specialism(s) relevant to the organisation or collections, for example: coding or other advanced digital skills, advanced information governance, languages, paleography, working with a specific audience (e.g., children/young people).
- Identify and communicate with various internal/external stakeholders with shared strategies, goals and objectives to identify and overcome barriers to service improvement and collection development.
- Undertake business planning processes including continuity planning and apply legislation and regulations as appropriate to the service and situation, for example health and safety, Data Protection legislation.
- Apply the people/volunteer management policies for example assessing work plans and training needs and managing performance
- Negotiate with depositors/donors regarding acquisitions, and with internal and external colleagues/stakeholders regarding security, maintenance and disposal of records
- Confirm that the archives and/or records are stored correctly and they are monitored in accordance with legislation, guidelines and regimes for example PD BS 4971:2017 British Standard Guide for the storage and exhibition of archival materials.
- Develop and maintain archives and records management policies, procedures and processes ensuring their application.
- Consider and implement selection, acquisition, retention, appraisal, classification, audit and disposal principles to records.
- Organise and manage the digitisation of archival material, including identifying suitable records, scanning, creating metadata, and making images available online.
- Manage the care of born-digital and digitised records, including their management, appraisal, classification, storage, access and, where appropriate, long term preservation.
- Arrange, describe and classify analogue, digitised and born-digital records in a variety of formats in accordance with professional standards
- Confirm that accurate paper and digital location records are kept considering the use of different processes such as barcoding.
- Manage compliance with legislation and regulations as appropriate to the service and situation, for example health and safety, Data Protection legislation, copyright and intellectual property.
- Organise and manage audits to make sure that the materials are identified and are stored as safely and securely as possible. This includes making sure that flood, fire, preservation and conservation plans are identified and adhered to by the organization.
- Work in partnership with other specialists for example conservators, sound technicians, or software engineers/developers and other IT experts to arrange for work to be carried out.
- Develop/maintain risk assessment(s) and undertake regular reviews to identify and prioritise risks including mitigation actions
- Use IT software and systems to accurately store, interrogate, interpret and analyse information as required by the archives/records service or by internal/external stakeholders.
- Use appropriate technology and specialist equipment relevant to the collections or services for example workstations or software suites to support digital preservation.
- Develop/manage outreach strategies to engage, develop and maintain internal and external audiences and communities such as open days, social media use or accessible exhibitions to ensure accessibility for as wide an audience as possible.
- Use influencing skills with key decision makers in the sector to enhance the archives and records management service.
- Commission, undertake and disseminate research to support the archives and records management service and/or facilitate research requests from stakeholders ensuring timely and accurate responses.
- Share best practice and/or deliver training to internal staff/external organisations regarding archival or records management activities
- Identify potential funding streams, present ideas, analysis and content and make recommendations, usually in the form of reports, to support the submission of various types of funding applications and future funding strategies.
- Apply project and budget management principles to plan, priorities and balance workload to meet agreed timescales, cost and quality objectives, observing and acting within relevant delegated expenditure authorities and resource streams
- Create content and present information about the collections and/or services for relevant internal or external audiences. Keep up-to-date with sector and wider trends for digital engagement, making recommendations for implementation of changes identified.
- Apply specialism(s) relevant to the organisation or collections, for example: coding or other advanced digital skills, advanced information governance, languages, paleography, working with a specific audience (e.g., children/young people).
- Identify and communicate with various internal/external stakeholders with shared strategies, goals and objectives to identify and overcome barriers to service improvement and collection development.
- Undertake business planning processes including continuity planning and apply legislation and regulations as appropriate to the service and situation, for example health and safety, Data Protection legislation.
- Apply the people/volunteer management policies for example assessing work plans and training needs and managing performance
Training schedule
What you will learn:
As an apprentice, you will develop the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) defined in the Level 7 Archivist and Records Manager apprenticeships standard.
The programme includes a three-year learning period followed by a six-month assessment phase. You’ll spend four days a week gaining practical experience with the BAS Archives team, and one day per week on structured off-the-job learning.
Off-the-job learning activities include:
- Attending in-person training sessions every 12 weeks at Westminster Adult Education Service in London, NW8 8LW
- Joining fortnightly online sessions via Microsoft Teams
- Completing a self-directed study and building a portfolio of evidence for your end-point assessment
This role is based at BAS Cambridge, with some flexibility for remote working depending on business needs and project requirements.
About Westminster Adult Education Service:
Westminster Adult Education Service is the sole approved provider of the Level 7 Archivist and Records Manager apprenticeship. They have extensive experience delivering successful training across a variety of sectors and consistently receive five-star employer ratings via the Government’s apprenticeship service.
As specialists in Cultural Heritage apprenticeships, they are well equipped to support your development throughout the programme. Learn more: www.waes.ac.uk/partnerships/apprenticeships.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4/C)
- Maths (grade 4/C)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment. 1. Applicants should be able to travel to BAS Cambridge on most working days. The apprentice may also be required to travel to other archives in England once every two months as part of the in-person off-the-job training days. 2. To complete the apprenticeship, you will need to provide evidence of Maths and English GCSE grade A*-C / 9-4 or equivalent. 3. You will need to have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years prior to the start of the apprenticeship or meet the criteria of eligible residency status in the Apprenticeship Funding Rules. Apprenticeship funding rules, 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK 4. Confirm that this apprenticeship offers substantive new skills and knowledge and that you have not already achieved an equivalent Level 7 qualification in a similar or related subject.
About this employer
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.
http://ukri.org (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI: https://www.ukri.org/about-us/work-for-us/working-at-ukri/benefits-of-working-for-ukri/
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
The apprenticeship is for a fixed-term period. Subject to availability of open positions and candidate performance, we would expect there to be ongoing employment opportunities within BAS/UKRI upon successful completion of the apprenticeship.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
UK Research and Innovation
Early Careers Resourcing Team
apprenticerecruitment@ukri.org
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000336989.
Apply now
Closes in 16 days (Sunday 31 August 2025)
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