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Work Experience Placements at Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life
Curious about a career in the heritage sector? Interested in museums and history?
We are unable to host work placements in 2026. Please contact the Museum for placements in 2027.
Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life offers practical work experience placements for students at secondary school, sixth form, college, and university.
These work placements are designed for students who are studying GCSE or A-Level History, or a relevant degree that links to museums, heritage, historical research, or military history.
We can host two work placements per week with opportunities to experience several areas of museum work including visitor experience, events coordination, curatorial, education and learning, conservation, and marketing.
Work placement for students
Past placements have helped catalogue artefacts, develop education materials, design exhibits, conserve items, and conduct research in our archives. We mentor students and provide training while allowing them to take initiative and get hands-on experience in the Museum.
Our work placements offer invaluable insight and experience for those pursuing a career in museums, history, conservation, military and more. Students may be looking for work experience towards a career as a…
- Historian
- Archivist
- Tour guide
- Education officer
- Research analyst
- Gallery technician
- Engagement manager
- Museum curator or director
- Military researcher or scientist
- Conservation or restoration technician
Students will work alongside our staff on projects tailored to their interests and courses of study.
For secondary school, sixth form or college students
Get ready for higher education and work beyond school through valuable work experience placements at Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life that offer exposure to…
- Professional workplace environments
- Project planning & task management
- Balancing short-term tasks with long-term initiatives
- Social media & digital marketing
- Customer engagement
- Interpreting objects & artefacts
- Networking with experts in the field
Opportunities like these give you insight into professional business operations, while helping to develop transferable and employability skills that will stand out on university applications and CVs such as:
- Customer service & administration
- Confident communication
- Teamwork & collaboration
- Self-management & responsibility
- Problem-solving & initiative
- Multi-tasking & adaptability
- Punctuality & professionalism
How to apply
These work placements are designed for students who are studying GCSE or A-Level History.
If you’re interested, click here to complete and submit an application form.
All applicants will be notified if we are able to host you on the dates you have requested. Successful applicants will be provided with further details about the placement and asked to come into the Museum for an informal chat to discuss further requirements.
If you have any questions, please email learning@cmoml.org.
For university students
Seeking a work placement as part of a university course or to support your degree?
We work with university students who are studying a relevant degree that links to museums, history, heritage and/or teaching.
Apply academic insights in real museum scenarios and get context for theoretical concepts through targeted projects like:
- Collections management
- Exhibit design
- Education programme development
- Digital archive creation
- Public speaking and presentation delivery
- Exhibit design and hands-on conservation
How to apply
Please contact learning@cmoml.org to discuss how we may be able to support your work placement requirements at Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life. It’s a good idea to share information about your degree, goals, and ideal placement focus.
All university placements will be required to have an informal chat beforehand, either online or in-person.
Frequently asked questions about work placements at the Museum
You will assist staff with daily tasks and special projects during the placement. You will also have opportunities to shadow different museum teams to gain first-hand understanding of key roles and operations. Overall, you will take part in hands-on experiences relevant to your studies and gain practical skills based on your interests.
No prior military history knowledge is required – enthusiasm for learning is most important! Museum staff will provide any necessary training and support to help you actively contribute during the placement.
For secondary student placements, we prioritise students currently taking a History GCSE or A-Level who require work experience related to those courses. However, strong applicants studying other subjects may also be considered. Please discuss the relevance of the placement to your studies in your supporting statement.
We take your skills, interests, and goals for the placement into account when tailoring the weekly schedule. However, we need to balance organisational needs across teams over the course of a placement, so you will get experience working with multiple areas, which offers a helpful perspective! Please discuss your goals and preferences in your email application.
