Become a Conservator: Continued Education

Ongoing development and advancement in each conservation specialty make it necessary for practicing conservators to keep abreast of advances in technology and methodology. Knowledge and skills are expanded through reading publications, attending professional meetings, enrolling in short-term workshops or courses, and other forms of active engagement. Each conservator is responsible for taking advantage of ongoing learning opportunities.

Many continuing education opportunities are composed of short-term training events designed for professional conservators. These opportunities are generally focused on a specific topic or technique. The format for this type of training may be a workshop, conference, or online course.

Find a Professional Development Opportunity

We offers many professional development opportunities throughout the year. Workshops and training sessions are often organized in conjunction with conferences sponsored by international, national, and/or regional conservation associations. For example, we hold an Annual Meeting that contains a mix of conservation programming that includes tours, workshops, technical papers, and opportunities to connect with colleagues and specialists. Courses, conferences, and seminars are generally listed/posted on Conservation OnLine (CoOL), the Global Conservation Forum, in the newsletter (AIC News), and on the websites of allied professional associations.

What's Next?

We also welcome member engagement and participation through serving on committees, becoming a mentor, contributing to the wiki, disseminating knowledge and research, and other outreach efforts. Here are some links to related resources:

Fellowships

Fellowships are paid term positions that have an educational component. They generally last 1–3 years and are designed specifically for recent graduates of a conservation master’s program. Fellows participate actively in the operations of the conservation department, learn from more experienced colleagues, and complete advanced conservation treatments. Fellowships may also include a research component.
 
Career Path: Fellowships provide an opportunity for recent graduates of conservation programs to gain important work experience. Many fellows also complete and publish a research paper, which can enhance their profile within the field.

Contract/Project Positions

Conservation departments may receive funding to complete a specific project, creating a term position. These positions are project-based, focused on completing a particular initiative, and may or may not provide opportunities for research and/or publication.
 
Career Path: Term positions provide conservators with professional-level work experience, strengthening a conservator's resume and network.

Find a Career Opportunities

Post-graduate fellowships and contract/project opportunities are typically advertised on the Global Conservation Forum, our Career Center, the AIC Member Community (member restricted), or our specialty group online communities (member restricted).

See also: