The purpose of this article is open up the possibilities in working at museums and heritage sites through the Culture and Heritage Site Management (1832) program at Centennial College.
Culture and heritage site management students preserve our identities
1. Culture and Heritage Site Management Students Preserve Our Identities
A blend of history and arts makes a great culture course. It attracts students who take a liking in
preserving artefacts and memorabilia and showcasing them for the world to see. However,
heritage management courses are more than the act of duration but the overall management of
the items in heritage sites including facility management, ethical and sustainable factors, and
sponsorships and donations. Centennial College takes a leap in this line of work by providing a
two-semester program called Culture and Heritage Site Management (1832).
Centennial’s college culture course explores the basis of an organization’s management,
whether it is a museum or a zoo or a not-for-profit organization or historic site. As part of the
School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture at Centennial College, the Customer Relationship
Management (CRM) course is designed to prepare students to integrate customer service in the
programming of the site. CRM software will be introduced to students, so they can manage visitor
information and behavioural data to establish a sustainable sales strategy.
Most institutions and organizations that houses the cultural and heritage displays are in the not-
for-profit industry. Therefore, the livelihood for these places is dependent on act of charity,
including volunteerism and donations, and sponsorship from businesses. Grants, fundraising and
sponsorship and careful financial management are critical to the maintenance of the sites.
Students in the program will learn how the required bookkeeping and budgeting for museums and
related organizations. Proposal writing and fundraising campaigns will be examined in detail to
help future culture and heritage site specialists obtain donor leads and retain them.
The Culture and Heritage Industry is developing through technological advancements, political
issues, and sociological views. The program will delve into issues facing heritage sites through a
course of research and class trips to heritage sites. In addition, guest speakers will engage
students in the classroom and provide them of real-life examples on their day-to-day jobs in the
industry. Social media and other online resources and the digitalization of archives will have their
effectiveness examined as students devise plans to promote the organizations and enrich visitor
experiences which will increase donor leads and visitor counts.
A two-day placement weekly in the last semester will provide a first-hand look at working in the
Culture and Heritage management courses, with students working in arts and cultural
organizations, historic sites, museums, and galleries. Simultaneously, students complete
management courses in cultural planning, keeping in mind the objectives of the government in
relation to the promotion of culture and diversity and its effect on tourism. Since the industry
relies heavily on volunteers, the Leadership in the Culture and Heritage Sector course, also taken
in the second semester, will provide the human resources planning skills needed for site
operations.
Culture and Heritage Site Management graduates will work within the industry with varying titles
that can include Outreach & Learning Coordinator, Exhibit Associate, Museum Curators, Facility
Coordinators, Collections and Exhibit Specialists, Office Coordinators, and Education Specialists.
These positions are available in government sectors, institutions, and not-for-profit organizations.
This program prepares students for the diverse needs in Canada’s heritage sites as well as the
international market.
