The heritage management and culture course prepares graduates for a variety of job titles in cultural and heritage management sector in just one year. The course provides them with strong fundamentals and practical hands-on experience required to build rewarding careers in this field.
Culture and heritage management how to build a career
1. Culture and Heritage Management – How to Build a Career
Culture and heritage site management is the practice of conserving, promoting and managing
cultural and heritage resources. This is a highly specialized field and thus requires in-depth
understanding of local culture, traditions, history and landscape of that particular region.
Culture and heritage management is not a new profession. However, its importance has increased
significantly in last couple of years. This may be attributed to the increased interest of avid
travellers in exploring sites that can satisfy their inquisitiveness about diverse cultures and
heritage resources.
A wide range of employment opportunities are now available in this field. The professionals may
be employed with museums, art galleries, aquaria, science centres, artist-run centres, heritage
sites, forts, zoos, archives, sports halls-of-fame, art service organizations, national and provincial
parks, federal, provincial and municipal and cultural funding agencies, government departments
and several other not-for-profit cultural institutions.
The career prospects are all time high in Canada, which can be attributed to the significant
increase in number of domestic and international travellers. The country’s historic sites and
national parks experience more than 60 million visitors annually while heritage sites, museums
and art galleries attract more than 59 million visitors per year.
Culture and heritage management is a huge industry in Canada. And it’s going to expand further
in coming years. Therefore, current is the best time to build rewarding careers in this field. The
sector encompasses a considerable diversity of job titles and work activities depend on the type of
employment, job title as well as individual qualifications and experience.
Building a Career in Culture and Heritage Management
In order to build careers in this field you require specific skills, such as:
• Budget management
• Fundraising
• Planning for the cultural and heritage sector
• Leadership in culture and heritage sector
• Customer relationship management
• Marketing for culture and heritage sector
• Collections and exhibit management
• Project management
2. In addition, you must also possess practical hands-on experience, in order to seek employment in
this sector.
A heritage site management and culture course may help you gain the required skills and
experience. During this program, you’re introduced to cultural and heritage management
essentials and various other aspects of this sector. You study financial management, marketing
and strategy, grants, fundraising and sponsorship, exhibit management, innovative technologies,
historic site management, municipal cultural planning and issues in heritage, museums and
galleries.
The one-year graduate certification program also incorporates a field work placement, allowing
you to apply your learning into practice and gain relevant contacts. However, not all colleges
incorporate practical experience. It means that you should really go through the program
curriculum before you apply to any particular college.
Numerous colleges across Toronto provide heritage management courses. Unfortunately, not
all colleges engage you in practical management and industry-based subjects. Centennial College
has partnerships with local, regional, provincial and national institutions and establishments that
facilitate practical learning. Moreover, the program offers excellent employment prospects. It also
incorporates two-days-per-week industry field placement for 15 weeks within second semester,
allowing you to gain real world experience.
