Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) has been awarded a grant of £100,000 (US$129,000, €114,000) to establish a new Vocational Skills Fund dedicated to diversifying Scotland’s museum sector.

Financed by the Scottish government, the fund will make work-based learning in museums accessible on every rung of the career ladder – from managers to new employees.

According to MGS – the national development body for museums and galleries in Scotland – 88 per cent of the current museums workforce has a degree, with 59 per cent also holding a postgraduate qualification. Because of this, potential untapped talents are being overlooked, with the fund hoping to address this by offering an alternative entry route into the sector.

“Through this new fund, MGS will breathe life into the vocational framework for the sector, creating a new career path that includes work-based qualifications such as Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs),” said an MGS statement.

The Vocational Skills Fund will increase the accessibility of these courses and qualifications by funding measures such as training new assessors and creating new assessment centres, with further details about the scheme to be released in Q3 2017.

“This fund represents an excellent effort to provide an alternative route into museums work and address the shaping of the current and future workforce of our cultural industry. I am confident this will help many to develop useful experience-led skills and pave their way into leadership roles,” said Cabinet secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop.

“The Scottish government remains committed to widening access to the arts and cultural sector through the creation of work-based career paths that will enable more people in Scotland to develop their skills for the future.”