Library, Information and Archive Services Level 3 Apprenticeship – Manchester Cathedral

MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL

MANCHESTER (M3 1SX)

Closes in 20 days (Wednesday 25 March 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 3 March 2026

Print

Contents

Summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic and hard-working individual to join Manchester Cathedral as a library, information and archive apprentice. As a LIAS apprentice we are looking for someone to support the project team daily.

Wage

£19,319 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Library, information and archive services assistant (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Thursday, 9.00am - 5.00pm, with break at 12:30 for 30 mins. Monday - Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm, with break at 12:30 for 1 hour.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 27 April 2026

Duration

1 year 8 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

The purpose of this apprenticeship is to support the project team in delivering the initial stages of the project whilst gaining working knowledge of archive management and associated activities and completing the Library, information and archive services assistant apprenticeship course.

The apprentice will help deliver the project objectives through supporting an Archive Consultant to prepare recommendations for future archival conservation and use. They will help lay the foundations for ongoing collections care, and work with some of our volunteers to repackage and reorganise the collection and will support the project team to understand the potential of the collection to spark interest and conversations around the topics of history, heritage and community.

Day to day duties include:

Support the management and development of the Manchester Cathedral archives by:

  • Supporting the Research Officer to re-package and catalogue existing archive material to reduce the risk of deterioration / loss
  • Working with volunteers, including occasional volunteer or visitor supervision, to repackage existing materials and to arrange displays
  • Supporting the survey condition and conservation work on the archive material
  • Assisting with external enquiries about the Archive and its contents
  • Assisting with development of policy documents (accession, collection care, loan and disaster)
  • Updating the CALM data base as required

Support the project team (especially the Research Officer and the Community Heritage Officer) by:

  • Help with identification of archive items for digitisation
  • Help with identification of collections and archives that provide sources and narratives that might support audience development

Personal qualities:

  • Attention to detail is key
  • Organised, calm and efficient in a busy environment
  • Keen interest in pursuing a career in accountancy and finance
  • Professional and calm persona
  • Motivated to learn new skills
  • Positive attitude and enthusiastic
  • Team player with a willingness to support colleagues

Where you'll work

PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL
MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL
VICTORIA STREET
MANCHESTER
M3 1SX

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

LET ME PLAY LIMITED

Training course

Library, information and archive services assistant (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Interpret and implement policy, e.g. communicating clearly the basic copyright restrictions and reasons for not sharing personal data
  • Undertake regulation and compliance checking, e.g. in order to ensure data protection is not breached
  • Solve user problems in a range of situations using their knowledge and interpretation
  • Use information management processes to store, manage and retrieve records and data to support collaboration, exploitation and the organisation’s Information Management (IM) practices
  • Describe and arrange material/resources, by observing and applying identified cataloguing standards in order to create online catalogues and other finding aids to meet users’ needs
  • Employ information retrieval techniques to identify and use relevant media and systems, e.g. searching online databases, catalogues or physical stores, and EDRMS (electronic document record management systems)
  • Perform preservation (analogue/physical and digital) practices to keep collections physically safe using institutional/sector guidelines, and supporting work that provides digital access by creating alternatives that meet a range of user requirements
  • Use enquiry techniques to clarify and meet users’ information requirements and manage expectations, e.g. by signposting to alternative resources and providing solutions
  • Develop knowledge sharing with users, cultivating an environment where knowledge is freely shared and sought within a ‘safe’ environment, including online solutions
  • Use relevant approaches to learning support to contribute to the development of learning activities for different audiences to enhance knowledge and literacy, e.g. reader development
  • Select and use appropriate tools and technologies to support users in researching and disseminating information, e.g. databases, search engines, digital libraries, repositories and social media
  • Develop information and digital skills to support users to identify, find, access and evaluate information, to share knowledge and to promote self-help
  • Demonstrate information sharing by contributing to learning activities for specific audiences, e.g. inductions and events, catering to a variety of levels of knowledge and understanding
  • Use promotion techniques for resources so that users and potential users are aware of their value, impact and benefit, e.g. by curating collections and displays in effective ways, undertaking outreach activities to guide users to achieve independence in their use of information
  • Implement the organisation’s collection management policy, e.g. through identifying stock that should be acquired and that which is no longer used or needed, and relegating or removing these appropriately
  • Develop the service by assessing the learning environment and anticipating user needs, e.g. re-organising study/virtual spaces, suggesting improvements to catalogues or web pages
  • Use teamwork and collaboration to achieve goals, e.g. with stakeholders and partners beyond the organisation
  • Use information provision to enable users to access materials, e.g. through lending books/artefacts, emailing documents, accessing original archives, signposting links to information
  • Exercise communication skills - oral, written, presentation, interpersonal, listening, assertiveness (online and face to face)
  • Interpret and implement policy, e.g. communicating clearly the basic copyright restrictions and reasons for not sharing personal data
  • Undertake regulation and compliance checking, e.g. in order to ensure data protection is not breached
  • Solve user problems in a range of situations using their knowledge and interpretation
  • Use information management processes to store, manage and retrieve records and data to support collaboration, exploitation and the organisation’s Information Management (IM) practices
  • Describe and arrange material/resources, by observing and applying identified cataloguing standards in order to create online catalogues and other finding aids to meet users’ needs
  • Employ information retrieval techniques to identify and use relevant media and systems, e.g. searching online databases, catalogues or physical stores, and EDRMS (electronic document record management systems)
  • Perform preservation (analogue/physical and digital) practices to keep collections physically safe using institutional/sector guidelines, and supporting work that provides digital access by creating alternatives that meet a range of user requirements
  • Use enquiry techniques to clarify and meet users’ information requirements and manage expectations, e.g. by signposting to alternative resources and providing solutions
  • Develop knowledge sharing with users, cultivating an environment where knowledge is freely shared and sought within a ‘safe’ environment, including online solutions
  • Use relevant approaches to learning support to contribute to the development of learning activities for different audiences to enhance knowledge and literacy, e.g. reader development
  • Select and use appropriate tools and technologies to support users in researching and disseminating information, e.g. databases, search engines, digital libraries, repositories and social media
  • Develop information and digital skills to support users to identify, find, access and evaluate information, to share knowledge and to promote self-help
  • Demonstrate information sharing by contributing to learning activities for specific audiences, e.g. inductions and events, catering to a variety of levels of knowledge and understanding
  • Use promotion techniques for resources so that users and potential users are aware of their value, impact and benefit, e.g. by curating collections and displays in effective ways, undertaking outreach activities to guide users to achieve independence in their use of information
  • Implement the organisation’s collection management policy, e.g. through identifying stock that should be acquired and that which is no longer used or needed, and relegating or removing these appropriately
  • Develop the service by assessing the learning environment and anticipating user needs, e.g. re-organising study/virtual spaces, suggesting improvements to catalogues or web pages
  • Use teamwork and collaboration to achieve goals, e.g. with stakeholders and partners beyond the organisation
  • Use information provision to enable users to access materials, e.g. through lending books/artefacts, emailing documents, accessing original archives, signposting links to information
  • Exercise communication skills - oral, written, presentation, interpersonal, listening, assertiveness (online and face to face)

Training schedule

Apprenticeship Details – 20 months expected duration to complete, working towards your Level 3 Library, Information and Archive Services (LIAS) qualification (All learning is delivered online/ remote). 

Training Provider: LMP Education (rated 1st best UK training provider).

More training information

Online learning, no classroom or day release for college.

Requirements

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
  • Presentation skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Team working
  • Initiative

About this employer

Manchester Cathedral has amassed a considerable archive collection since its establishment in the 14th century. There are over 11,000 archive items stored at the Cathedral, of which only around 50% are fully catalogued. Many of these are historically significant items in themselves, and many more are of significance to the development of the City of Manchester and its population.

Manchester Cathedral has obtained funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) to improve public access to these archives, to carry out much-needed conservation and preservation, and to develop our ability to harness the archives as resources to engage with our local communities.

After this apprenticeship

Completion of the level 3 qualification and potentially a full time role.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

LET ME PLAY LIMITED

Charlie Seaman

charlie.seaman@lmpeducation.org

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000017569.

Apply now

Closes in 20 days (Wednesday 25 March 2026 at 11:59pm)