Students make up a large portion of our volunteers, many of them interested in a career in archiving, heritage or research. It’s great to have young people helping out in the Archive to give a fresh, new perspective to the work we do. Kicking off our #VolunteersWeek profile showcase we have Laura, a third year History and Archaeology student at Reading University. Laura has volunteered at the Mills Archive for a year and a half, and has been pleasantly surprised at how varied the work that goes on in an archive can be…
“I didn’t realise how much there was to an archive. People may think it’s just rooms full of paper records, but the people-orientated side is very important too; like fundraising and running training workshops.”
The Mills Archive has reinforced Laura’s passion for history, helping to shape her plans for the future.
“I’m interested in pursuing a career in the heritage sector, after my Masters in Public History. I’ve found it difficult to get work experience in heritage jobs so I feel very lucky to have had this opportunity to volunteer at The Mills Archive.”
Laura believes that volunteering has played a vital role in preparing her for the workplace:
“Volunteering at the Mills Archive has given me the confidence to go into a job knowing about the working world. I’ve been able to learn about how organisations are run, and seen working examples of what roles I could go into, without the pressures of it being my real job.”
Could volunteering be the confidence boost you need to help propel you into a new career? We’d love you to get in touch if you’re interested in volunteering at the Mills Archive.
