Human Resources in Canada's Built Heritage Sector: Mapping the ...

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MAPPING THE WORK FORCE AND SETTING STRATEGIC PRIORITIES“When decision makers lack the expertise required to make informed decisions, historic and culturalresources can be overlooked, mis-identified, mis-evaluated, damaged, or lost. Partial expertise can be justas harmful, whether a person is well-grounded in historic preservation, but lacks professional disciplineskills, or, alternatively, is an expert in a professional discipline, but fails to understand its importantconnection to historic preservation.” [Emphasis added.]Historic Preservation Qualification Standards, National Parks Service, United StatesThe Standards are intended as guidelines for bodies which are hiring, appointing or otherwise engagingprofessional services in the historic preservation field. However, in a number of instances, regulations orstatutes reference the Standards and thereby make them obligatory. Of particular importance, theStandards apply to work done under the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives and to work done underthe federal grants program.The Standards do not apply to entry-level applicants or to pre-eminent professionals in the field. Rather,the Standards are designed to describe the typical expertise held by credible mid-level professional working inhistoric preservation. Application of the standards requires the development of detailed job descriptions orspecifications containing additional information relevant to a particular situation.The Standards recognize two types of skills: skills that are specific to the techniques associated with the disciplineand historic. Both types of skills are considered essential. The following is a general statement of the Standards.Separate descriptions are published for each of the 12 covered disciplines.Discipline Proficiencies• Knowledge of the history of the discipline.• Knowledge of current theories, principles, practices, methods, and techniques of the discipline.• Familiarity with diverse specializations within the discipline.• Skills in applying the discipline’s techniques of practice, including critical analysis skills.• Understanding of the discipline’s relationships with other disciplines and the ability to design andcarry out interdisciplinary projects.• Understanding of complex research questions.• Ability to place a specific project in a broader context.• Knowledge of current scholarly research and its applicability to a given issue. Familiarity with theprocess of rigorous professional peer review that occurs before work is published.Historic Preservation Proficiencies• Familiarity with the origins and development of the historic preservation movement.• Knowledge of the field of historic preservation as it is practiced in the United States, including itsphilosophies, theories, practices, laws, regulations, policies, and standards, and relationship to thediscipline as a whole.• Ability to apply Federal and relevant State and local historic preservation laws, regulations, policies,and standards in the public and private sectors, including Federal, State, and local government agencies,and private organizations.• Ability to apply the appropriate set(s) of the “Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Archaeologyand Historic Preservation,” and/or the National Register of Historic Places criteria.©CULTURAL HUMAN RESOURCES COUNCIL29
HUMAN RESOURCES IN CANADA’S BUILT HERITAGE SECTORAmerican Cultural Resources AssociationThe American Cultural Resources Association (ACRA) was incorporated in March,1995, to serve the needsof the cultural resources industry. ACRA estimates that the industry is comprises approximately 500 firmswhich employ over 10,000 persons. These individuals work in a wide variety of fields, including historicpreservation, history, archaeology, architectural history, historical architecture, and landscape architecture.ARCA focuses on the business needs of this diverse industry. ARCA maintains a public registry of consultantsby areas of specialization. ARCA also posts employment opportunities. Unlike CAPHC, ARCA’s principalmembership comprises only for-profit companies. Individuals may take up associate membership. There is nomembership option for non-profit and public sector bodies. ARCA does not publish competency profiles forindividual occupations.Key ThemesThree themes emerge from this overview of occupational standards and skill supply in the United States.First, a key role is played by the National Parks Service under statutory and regulatory authority granted tothe Secretary of the Interior. The NPS has used this authority to require adherence to published professionalstandards for work done under the auspices of the NPS or under the purview of tax credits administeredby the NPS.Second, the NPS system of professional standards for heritage work operates outside the accreditation systems ofprofessional bodies. The NPS Occupational Standards are guidelines that must be reflected in the jobdescriptions or other specifications used to hire or engage professionals in conservations and restorationwork on projects covered by those guidelines. In other words, the guidelines apply to the employers orengagers of conservation professionals. It is up to the employers or engagers of these professionals todetermine how to apply the guidelines. In this sense, the guidelines are unilateral on the part of the NPS.They are not the result of a negotiated accreditation involving the NPS and various professional bodies.Third, the leverage of the NPS system of professional standards derives from its application to work undertakenusing tax credits that are administered by the NPS. Private sector work undertaken using tax credits exceedsthe value of work undertaken as a result of direct expenditures by the federal government.30©CULTURAL HUMAN RESOURCES COUNCIL
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