A woman writing notes on a pad with a laptop open in front of her.
E-learning can form a useful part of blended learning. © Historic England
E-learning can form a useful part of blended learning. © Historic England

Work Experience

Historic England is pleased to offer a virtual work experience programme for young people aged 15 and over, twice per year. The programme is designed to give delegates an insight into the wonderful careers available within heritage.

Virtual Work Experience Opportunities 2024

We are very excited to confirm that our next Virtual Work Experience Programme ‘Careers in Heritage with Historic England’, in partnership with Springpod, will begin on Monday 19 August 2024. Registrations are now live for our next Work Experience Programme.

Springpod are an organisation who offer interactive, experiential learning programmes for our next generation, enabling young people to take their future in their own hands and giving all students equal access to work experience opportunities. We are thrilled to be working with them, to provide you with an interactive, informative and fun programme of learning which will give you an insight into the wide range of exciting careers within the Heritage Sector.

The programme will include live content, talks from guest speakers and the opportunity to contribute to some of our work as we champion historic places to help people understand, value and care for them. All delegates will receive a certificate of completion of their work experience at Historic England at the end of the programme.

July 2023 saw the launch of our hugely successful Virtual Work Experience in partnership with Springpod. This new, interactive, and immersive programme saw over 480 students register to learn all about working for Historic England and within the Heritage Sector. We are incredibly proud of the Work Experience Programme and we are sure you will love it too.

Below is an outline of the modules you can expect to experience in our next programme.

The programme is made up of eight modules, and will run over a two-week period. Each module consists of a case study, an individual activity and a quiz, all designed to help students embed their learning effectively and really experience working with us. One of the exciting advantages of this programme is that it can also be accessed at your own convenience, so that students can complete modules in their own time, at their own pace, even accessing live webinars after they air, as these are recorded.

If you have any other questions regarding this please contact: [email protected]

Outline of work experience modules

An introduction to the work experience programme.

  • Learn all about what Heritage is, and bust some Heritage myths.
  • This module also gives you the opportunity to learn more about Historic England's purpose, vision and values.
  • Develop your understanding of science and research at Historic England.
  • Understand the role of Archaeologists at Historic England and complete a deep dive activity into Aerial Investigation.
  • Take part in a live webinar to hear from our Archaeologists and an opportunity for you to ask questions.
  • Be introduced to the National Heritage list and learn about The Missing Pieces project.
  • Understand heritage construction skills and how important it is that we have access to skilled professionals.
  • Attend a live webinar where our subject matter experts share information about their jobs, roles and experiences.
  • Explore policy and data and the part it plays at Historic England.
  • Discover public engagement and what it entails across the organisation.
  • Join our live webinar to discover how our colleagues contribute creatively to heritage.
  • This module offers an opportunity to discover the different routes to employment with Historic England,
  • Gives an understanding of our Inclusion, Diversity and Equality pillars
  • An opportunity to meet with our Early Careers Team and current Apprentices, in our final live webinar.
  • Develop your employability skills by deepening your understanding of the key skills to help you succeed, including teamwork, communication and presentation skills.
  • Learn what the application process at Historic England looks like and how to prepare for interview and future career.

Wrap up your learning with an exit survey and download your Certificate of Achievement.

How can I apply?

Attendance is free but you need to book a place. Applications for the next programme are open. Use the button below to find out more and register your attendance. 

Book your place

Who is the scheme for?

The virtual work experience programme is open to young people aged 15 and over and takes place online. The link to apply will be available on this page and via the Springpod website. Applications are open to all and we encourage applications from those who are considering a career in heritage.

Accessibility

We attempt to design our learning experiences with accessibility and inclusivity in mind so that everyone can participate equally. We are able to offer a variety of technical support functions such as closed captioning and mouse-less navigation. Our programme includes plenty of breaks and opportunities to interact in different ways. Learning materials used in the activities can be made available in advance and in different formats such as large print, audio recording, braille or accessible PDF.

If you have particular access or learning needs, please contact [email protected]  to discuss how we can provide you with the best experience. We are always open to feedback on how we can make our learning experiences more accessible.

Human Resources