Case studies: Townscape heritage initiative officer: Janet

Janet has a BSc (Hons) Building Conservation from the University of Huddersfield and an MA in Historic Environment Conservation from the Ironbridge Institute. She currently works as a townscape heritage initiative (THI) officer for a local council.

After completing my undergraduate degree I worked for a local builder before working as a housing association surveyor. I then worked as a project manager on a scheme funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund  through an employment agency, and then as a heritage surveyor at a local council. Through this I became a THI officer, and when the contract ended I applied for my current job.

My degrees were completely relevant to my current job, particularly the MA in Historic Environment Conservation from the Ironbridge Institute . My degree gave me a basic understanding of the subject, and my work experience and the MA hugely reinforced this. They all helped me to be ahead of the field when I applied for my latest job.

I now project manage a Heritage Lottery-funded grant scheme to regenerate a historic townscape. On a typical day I visit property owners and give them grant advice. I work with builders on-site and often go up scaffolding to check the work. I also work in the office writing reports and solving problems.

I have taken on more responsibility as I have gone through my career and I have become more confident and knowledgeable. I have become more competent at understanding historic buildings, negotiating and working with figures. My ambition is to become a specialist historic building surveyor and an expert in my field, but not to become desk bound.

What I particularly enjoy about my job is visiting historic buildings that people do not normally get to see. I get great satisfaction from turning a derelict shell into a beautifully restored building. I love working with old buildings, going out on-site, meeting people and visiting the archives to carry out research.

I have worked on short-term contracts for the past ten years and it can be very stressful finding work in the heritage sector when contracts end; this is why I recently studied for an MA. I sometimes find preparing financial reports difficult, and it is not always easy to persuade property owners to take up grant funding because they also need to invest their own money.

I feel that it is essential to find a course that is affiliated to the relevant professional bodies as it can help towards getting professional membership. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) , for example, recognises some courses that can count towards a chartered surveying diploma, and the Ironbridge Institute MA is recognised by the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) . Without affiliation you can potentially add a couple of years onto your studies.

My advice would be to do your best to stay ahead of the field, but also make sure you have transferable skills so that you can find another job if necessary. It is a difficult sector to get into so you need to be realistic and work your way up to your chosen career. Networking is essential so join organisations such as the IHBC and attend their events, and perhaps volunteer with organisations such as the National Trust . Be imaginative with your job seeking and do not disregard agencies. Take every opportunity that you can, even if the contract is short term, although you also need to weigh up the risks of doing this.