We offer training to develop skills, knowledge and understanding within the archives sector. Our training sessions are relevant from both an organisational and individual perspective. Please email us if you would like more information about any of our sessions. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our events and training moved online and some of our events remain digital, alongside our e-learning courses.
Most of our training sessions are free, and bookings are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’re unable to cover the cost of travelling to one of our events, please get in touch and we’d be happy to discuss this. We have a limited number of spaces available at each session. Because of this, please only book if you are able to attend, and contact us if you can no longer attend.
Upcoming events
Working with mixed museum and archive collections (South East & East)
26 September (online)
This introductory course is aimed at those who are managing museum and archive collections together and may lack the appropriate skills to care for and make the best of both types of collection effectively. The session will explore the considerations and standards you need to be aware of to manage mixed collections effectively, including the challenges they can bring and how to overcome these. This session is suitable for those who are new to working with mixed collections or those in need of a refresher course.
This event is for archive services or organisations holding an archive collection in the South East and East of England, and is being run in collaboration with South East Museum Development and SHARE Museums East. Priority will be given to attendees from the South East and East regions, and other spaces will be allocated depending on availability. Events for other regions will be announced later this year.
Find out more about the mixed collections workshop (South East and East) and register to attend
Archives for Everyone 2023-27
27 September (online)
On 3 August, we launched Archives for Everyone 2023-27, our new strategy for The National Archives. At this webinar for archive professionals and the wider heritage sector, we will be providing more details about this exciting strategy. Archives for Everyone 2023-27 builds on the challenges we set ourselves in April 2019, when we embarked on a transformative path to become the 21st-century national archive – inclusive, entrepreneurial, and disruptive. In 2023, we reaffirm our commitment to transforming The National Archives to meet the present-day challenges of our historic mission, to creatively addressing these challenges, to pioneering a new kind of cultural and heritage institution, and to making good on our unique promise and potential.
Find out more and register to attend the Archives for Everyone 2023-27 webinar
Launching the Level 7 Archivist and Records Manager apprenticeships
2 October (In-person & online)
We are hosting a launch event at The National Archives to introduce the new Level 7 Archivist and Records Manager apprenticeships and promote alternative pathways for new professionals to enter the archive sector. This hybrid event will explore the value and importance of apprenticeships, introduce a future training programme to support employers in setting up an apprenticeship, and create a forum for discussion and networking opportunities. This event is designed for archive services (employers) and is not suitable for prospective apprentices. If you’d like to find out more about becoming a Level 7 apprentice, please contact: armapprenticeship@nationalarchives.gov.uk
Find out more about the launch event for the Level 7 apprenticeships and register to attend
Crowdfunding and digital fundraising
Part one: 3 October, Part two: 10 October (both online)
Re-run – Part one: 5 October, Part two: 12 October (both online)
This two-part course led by fundraising consultant, Dr Claire Routley, will introduce participants to the digital landscape and evaluate the components required for an online campaign to be successful. We will also explore and reflect on the following:
- What a good online case for support looks like and how to create engaging content
- Crowdfunding software including the pros and cons of different models
- Different case studies of good practice
- Building a crowd funder plan
- Ensuring ongoing communication best practice after the campaign has finished
- An overview of GDPR.
Participants are required to attend both part 1 and part 2 of the course. A re-run of this course will be delivered on the dates above, so please do not duplicate your registration.
Find out more about the crowdfunding and digital fundraising course and register to attend
Digitally Literate Leadership (online)
Part 1: 2 November (10am to 12pm)
Part 2: 9 November (10am to 12pm)
Part 3: 16 November (10am to 12pm)
Archives more than ever need a digitally literate workforce that understands the ways in which digital technologies, content and culture can best serve their mission. It is down to archive leaders to create the right conditions to meet those challenges. This online course will combine strategy, theory and expert insight with practical advice and peer support to help. This course led by Culture24 will help archive leaders to reflect on digital skills and literacies in the context of leadership, explore what digital culture means for your organisation and discuss the environments that you need to create to make change happen. Organisations will be given tasks to complete in-between workshops and one month later each organisation has a one-hour support session with one of the trainers to help apply learning from the course to their context.
This course is designed for two people to attend from each organisation. Applications should include at least one senior leader (preferably two) involved in decision making and strategy to deliver on digital objectives within their organisation, (e.g., Head of Culture, Head of Heritage, Director of Cultural Services, Assistant Director, Board Member etc.).
Applications have now closed and applicants will be contacted the week beginning 2 October
If you would like to know more about this course or have any questions about the application process, please email James.Heyworth-Taylor@nationalarchives.gov.uk
E-learning courses
Data Protection Toolkit for Archives
This toolkit is for archive service staff involved in providing access to personal data found within an archive service’s collections.
The toolkit is hosted on Moodle, an e-learning service that The National Archives uses to host learning and development content for the archive sector. Following the link provided below, please fill out the New Account form with your details. Please enter your email address as your username and use the enrolment key: ‘Data Protection Toolkit’. Once you have registered, you will receive an automatic confirmation email from Moodle.
Sign up to the Data Protection Toolkit for Archives
If you already have an account, log in to the Data Protection Toolkit
Archive Service Accreditation e-learning course
This e-learning course is for anyone working with archive collections who wishes to find out about Archive Service Accreditation. It provides a general introduction to the scheme and will help participants take the first steps towards making an application.
Sign up for the Archive Service Accreditation e-learning
Fundraising for Archives e-learning course
This e-learning course covers fundraising strategy, financial planning, cases for support, building networks and supporters, crowdfunding, and measuring outcomes and evaluation.
Video tutorials and step-by-step guidance will introduce you to each topic and guide you through online activities, enabling you to put what you are learning into practice and tailor it to your archive service.
Sign up for the Fundraising for Archives e-learning course
Transfer to Places of Deposit (PoD) e-learning course
This online learning course explains the key points of the Public Records Act for public record bodies. It describes what a place of deposit is and the process public record bodies should follow to select, prepare and transfer records for permanent preservation to a place of deposit.
The learning objectives of this course are to:
- understand the content and scope of the Public Records Act and the ’20 Year Rule’ changes
- gain knowledge about the process of selecting and transferring records from a public record body to a place of deposit
- recognise the roles and responsibilities for managing records under the Act and what the public record body needs to do
- find out about the guidance and support available from The National Archives
Sign up for the Transfer to Places of Deposit e-learning course
Recorded events
Take a look at our recorded events on YouTube, which cover a variety of topics, services and networks including:
- organisational impact
- advanced bid-writing
- crowdfunding and digital fundraising
- Risk & Resilience grants programme
- Cataloguing grants programme
- Manage Your Collections in Discovery
- Archives Revealed cataloguing grants
- Digital Archives Learning Exchange (DALE)
- Manorial Documents Register Conference 2022