Welcome to the "Heritage Skills", the website of the Skills Building for the Future programme.

"Skills Building for the Future" is a FREE training programme designed specially for staff and volunteers in local museums and heritage societies throughout the Highlands and Islands. Whether your museum or group is large or small, whether you have paid staff or are purely voluntary, whether you have premises or no premises . . . there are courses to help you increase your skills and try new things.

Over the coming three years, training courses are going to be taking place throughout the area. Whatever your interests or training needs – from conservation and cataloguing, oral history and displays to involving young people, marketing and applying for funding – this programme is here to help you. And the only thing it will cost you is your time – all training costs are covered, and your travel and expenses will be reimbursed.

The partners are the six local authorities in the area and Highlands & Islands Enterprise, with support from the Scottish Executive's Regional Development Challenge Fund.

SEVERE WEATHER FORECAST: PLEASE SEE THE NEWS SECTION FOR LATEST NEWS ON COURSE CANCELLATIONS

This website will guide you as you select the courses you wish to attend, check dates and venues, and make booking requests online. The site gives you the opportunity to register to receive regular updates on the training courses, gives details on how to claim your expenses, and answers your FAQs.

You can also check the News section for up-to-date information on the programme and exchange ideas and with other groups via the discussion forum.

We look forward to seeing you on a course soon! And please don't hesitate to get in touch if you need any further information or help.

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