Take Part in our Heritage Science Workforce Survey

NHSF is proud to act as the technical steering group for a new labour survey by one of our member organisations, Icon (the Institute of Conservation). This marks the first comprehensive, UK-wide overview of the heritage and conservation science workforce.

The survey will research who makes up the heritage science community, the current workforce capacity and levels of demand to gain a detailed picture the sector as a whole.  It will also conduct a skills audit, identifying the strengths, gaps and needs within the workforce, and collect information on training, career pathways and  workforce conditions.  The project is delivered by Icon on behalf of the Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS) through the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

 

Outcomes

The results of this survey will be used to build a solid foundation through which to understand and support our heritage science community. 

The Strategic Framework for Heritage Science 2024-2027 identifies key areas of action to strengthen and focus heritage science work in the UK.  These boil down to three essential strands: enact measurable positive change for society resulting from heritage science, facilitate excellent research leading to new knowledge, understanding and innovation, and nurture an inclusive, confident, diverse and outward-looking heritage science community.  The project will address several priorities highlighted across the framework by:

  • Researching who makes up the heritage science community, capacity of the current workforce, and levels of demand.
  • Researching skills strengths, gaps and needs.
  • Addressing barriers to recruitment, retention and career progression.
  • Connecting, and enabling access to, research capability (expertise, facilities and FAIR data) across the UK.


The survey covers all areas of practice across the wide swathe of scientific disciplines interacting with cultural heritage.  This includes (but is certainly not limited to) archaeological, conservation, and built historic environment sciences.  It is open to all individuals engaged in heritage and/or conservation science activity in the UK, as well as employers of heritage science professionals and organisations that commission heritage or conservation science work.

 

It will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.  You may respond as either an individual practitioner or an organisation. 

The survey will close on 31 August 2026.

Take the survey here.