Fyvie Castle helps guide future heritage careers for school pupils
A new education project is inspiring school pupils to consider a future career in heritage thanks to the history of a castle.
The seven-week Workforce for the Future project saw the P5/6 Fyvie Primary School class take part in a series of workshops at Fyvie Castle, which is cared for by the National Trust for Scotland.
They learned more about its history, the castle building and its gardens and grounds, as well as its art collection, which helped to inspire a new guided tour of the property.
The pupils researched and developed their tour and delivered it to their family members at a special event to celebrate the end of the project.
The class learned about the different staff who contribute to the running of Fyvie Castle.
The pupils heard about delivering tours by staff members where they researched and developed interesting talking points for their own activity.
They were taught how to clean objects using porcupine quills by the collections care team and conduct surveys of the castle’s condition by a conservation building surveyor.
They also learned about the castle’s historic trees from Fyvie’s rangers and developed event management skills by producing props for the trust’s upcoming Easter egg trail, taking place later this month.
The workshops are part of the Workforce for the Future project, designed to connect museums with young people and funded by Art Fund.
The National Trust for Scotland team at Fyvie Castle joined up with Museum Galleries Scotland to deliver the project which aims to develop young people’s employability skills, increase their confidence and help them learn about careers in the heritage sector.
The project at Fyvie Castle was led by National Trust for Scotland’s community engagement officer in the north-east, Sarah Eggleton.
She said: “Engaging with pupils from Fyvie Primary through the Workforce for the Future project is a fantastic way to get them excited about the castle’s history and the work of the trust to maintain this special place in a fun and engaging way.
“Through the workshops they have learned about collections care, building conservation, event management, research and development and teamwork.
“These skills have helped them to produce and deliver a guided tour of the castle for their family at a special celebratory event to mark the end of the project, and we’re super proud of what they’ve achieved.
“The Workforce for the Future project supports our vision to provide access to and enjoyment of Scotland’s special places and gives us a unique insight into how young people see Fyvie Castle.
“Our conservation charity is working to become a learning organisation, and to enable a greater diversity of people and communities to access our properties and improve their health and wellbeing.
“We’re delighted to support the project with Fyvie Primary and connect its pupils with the castle’s past and present.
“We hope the skills and experience they have developed during the project will help them going forward and encourage them to consider working in a role that supports Scotland’s nature, beauty and heritage in the future.”
John Campbell, Museums Galleries Scotland senior workforce and partnerships manager, said: “It is great to see how the trust has developed the Workforce for the Future project at Fyvie Castle to capture the imagination of local school pupils with the historic past of this 800-year-old fortress.
“We’re delighted to see how engaged the pupils have been in the workshops where they learned a variety of skills used by staff working at the castle.
“We’re proud to support the project and are thankful to the team at the castle for their enthusiasm and expertise in assisting the pupils to create their guided tours and learn about a potential future career in the heritage sector.”
Shelley Kingsley, Fyvie Primary School class teacher, said: "When I first heard about the Workforce for the Future castle project, I thought it sounded like a fantastic idea and something I was excited to be a part of.
“Through the whole process, my class has been thoroughly engaged and keen to learn and participate.
“We have been very lucky to have worked with some wonderful, enthusiastic people who have given my class a great insight into the world of work.
“The project has captured the interest of the children by focusing on a local landmark but has opened up so many new learning experiences for them.
“It has also helped the children see how their learning in class is necessary for developing skills relating to jobs.
“Overall, I feel it has been a huge success and something that my class will remember for a long time."
Projects like Workforce for the Future at Fyvie Castle, support the National Trust for Scotland’s vision to care for, share and protect Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage.
This is outlined in its strategy launched in 2022, and contributes to its engagement objectives to provide access and enjoyment for everyone and be a learning organisation.
