Skills Development at RAMM
RAMM is keen to support learning and skills development in people of all ages. RAMM currently runs a range of activities and learning events from baby-friendly curator talks and children’s activities through to dementia friendly workshops and a lot in between! RAMM also has a particular range of activities aimed specifically at those wanting to develop employment skills and/or get involved in work-based learning opportunities.
Work Experience
In order to support young people right at the beginning of their career journey RAMM operates a bi-annual work experience programme for 14-18 year old school children. This intensive week long work experience opportunity offers students the chance to get involved in various aspects of the museums day-to-day operations and provides an overview of the different roles and opportunities available in a museum.
Industry Placements
RAMM also works with schools and colleges to offer young people the opportunity to learn new employability skills for example, in 2019 RAMM provided two students with an ‘Industry Placement’ (a new government initiative being piloted by Exeter College) and part of a bigger program called T-Levels which is set to launch nationwide in 2020. The aim of the placements (one day a week over a thirty week period) is to provide 16-19 year olds taking a technical course, with real-life work experience to develop their knowledge and skills within their chosen industry. This year’s pilot was with 1st Year Level 3 IT Systems and Networks students and RAMM has been delighted with the work produced by the students who have undertaken projects that would not have otherwise been possible. Happily, we are now working with our third industry placement student.
Graduate Business Partnership Internships
In order to support recent graduates with relevant and meaningful skills development RAMM works closely with the University of Exeter to provide paid skills development internships. As part of the Graduate Business Partnership scheme RAMM offers two paid (12 month fixed term) internships to graduates each year. The internships are advertised nationally and are open to graduates of any discipline providing they have graduated within the last three years. The internships offer recent graduates a fantastic opportunity to gain skills in the cultural sector and RAMM also benefits considerably from the new skills, ideas and enthusiasm that these early career graduates bring to our organisation.
Access to Internships (A21): Student Widening Participation Internships
RAMM also works in partnership with the University of Exeter to provide students who meet their Widening Participation Criteria (for example being a care leaver, having refugee status, a disability or Black, Asian and minority ethnic students who attended a State School/College in a ‘Low Participation Neighbourhood’) with secure paid internships. The internships are funded by the University of Exeter and are usually four weeks or 140 hours in duration.
Supported Internships
This year RAMM has been working with Exeter College and Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education to offer two young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities the opportunity to gain some meaningful work experience in the cultural sector. RAMM offered two ‘supported internships’ this year which the students undertook as part of their ‘NCFE Certificate In Employability Skills Level 1’ course, which aims to help young people with learning difficulties and disabilities achieve paid employment by allowing them to develop skills and experience through workplace learning.
Youth Panel
One age group that is particularly difficult for RAMM to reach and engage with is the 18-25 year old age range. Although RAMM works hard to plan and deliver a range of audience focused activities and events aimed at a broad and diverse range of audiences, younger people are traditionally harder to engage with. In order to change this RAMM has secured funding from the Art Fund to develop a youth panel in order to effectively develop a public programme specifically designed to appeal to 18-25 year olds, with the aim of increasing their sense of ownership and connection to the Museum. RAMM’s youth panel was selected in November 2019 and they have already begun to work on some exciting projects within the organisation so watch this space!
For more information please contact:
Sophie Harbour (Engagement Officer, Skills Development)
T 01392 265976
E sophie.harbour@exeter.gov.uk