cpd23 - thing 10

Graduate traineeship, masters degrees, chartership, accrediation.

A very formal topic, if I do say so! 

As I mention in my profile description, I am a qualified Librarian and Information Officer, and am currently working as an information assistant.  I went the university route for my qualifications: I have a BA Honours degree in Humanities (english and history joint honours), and my library qualification comes from a Postgraduate Diploma in Information and Library studies from the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen - I went the full time route for this, rather than distance learning.  I did think about staying on to get my masters degree, but circumstances did not allow at the time: it is something that I would like to do in the future, though.  I would also like to gain chartership with CILIP - another career life goal!

I've wanted to work in libraries since I was about 12: I still remember looking through the big filing cabinet full of job descriptions in the careers room at school, and finding the one on Libraries.  Of course, at 12, I really only thougth of libraries as working in a public or school library - issuing books to people - the usual stereotype!  (though they cheated and I'm sure put the potential earning brackets at very senior management level: I definately don't earn £100,000 per year).  However, my mind didn't change over the years, and here I am.  I am still waiting to some day learn to love classification and cataloguing - I'm getting there  :D  I've worked in the public sector, schools, and college libraries, and at many different levels: I'm happy with where I seem to have settled now.