Best part of my job? Getting to work with important historical records

Name: Katie Connick

Age: 27

Lives: Cork, but originally from Wexford

Job title: Assistant Archivist at the Presentation Sisters Congregational Archives at Nano Nagle Place

Salary bracket: €35,000 – €45,000

Education background:

I have a BA International in German & Geography and an MA in Archives & Records Management from UCD. I’m also working towards Registered Membership of ARA (Archives & Records Association – the professional body for Archivists, Records Managers and Conservators in the UK and Ireland).

I love learning new things, and so CPD is very important to me; I try to seek out webinars and other training opportunities as much as possible. I think that’s very important, especially during the early stages of your career.

Hobbies:

I joined Cork Camera Group when I moved down, and even though I’m still figuring out how to use my camera, I’m starting to develop my own photography style.

I also love strength training, reading, and I’m still a member of my local drama group in Wexford and try to help out where I can.

Describe your job in five words:

Rewarding, dynamic, stimulating, collaborative and engaging.

Describe yourself in five words:

Kind, loyal, funny, creative and hard-working.

Personality needed for this kind of work?

Be inquisitive and willing to learn!

How long are you doing this job?

2½ years.

How did you get this job?

This is my first job as a professional archivist.

When I was in college, I worked part-time in a pub in Wexford town, which I really enjoyed. Working in the hospitality sector definitely shaped the person that I am today. I grew so much during my time in the pub and I’ll never forget that experience and the people I worked with.

During my MA, I was lucky enough to complete two placements: one week at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and two weeks at the Royal Opera House (now the Royal Ballet & Opera) in Covent Garden, London. For the latter, it was quite surreal walking through Stage Door every day to go to work! It was also a particularly significant experience, as it was directly tied to my thesis – Beyond the Curtain: Exploring the Nature and Acquisition of Active Theatre Archives.

After I graduated in December, 2023, I found it very difficult to secure interviews. I eventually got an interview for this job, travelling down from Wexford for the day, and here I am, two and a half years later!

Do you need particular qualifications or experience? Most jobs will require you to have a post-graduate qualification from an ARA-accredited course. In Ireland, UCD is the only university that offers that course.

Describe a day at work:

No two days are the same in this profession! As an archivist, our main duty is to collect, preserve and make accessible records from the past.

While cataloguing does form a small part of my job, most of my tasks revolve around the Artefact Collections for the museum in Nano Nagle Place, where the Archive is located. I’m responsible for pest management, environmental monitoring, ensuring our policies and documentation are up to date, and I also manage the interns and volunteers that come in to work with us.

At the end of 2024, I set up an Instagram page (@presentationsistersarchives) to promote our collections and the stories behind them.

I also volunteer with the ARA Ireland Committee as a Joint Training Officer, where I organise a number of training events every year.

How many hours do you work a week?

35-40.

Is your industry male or female dominated?

Female.

Does this affect you in any particular way?

Not really.

Is your job stressful? How? Rate it on a scale of 1-10: Only sometimes if there’s a particular deadline looming. Most of the time, it’s about a 2-3.

Do you work with others or on your own?

There is another archivist working here, but I have a separate office that I share with another person.

When do you plan to retire or give up working?

That’s too far away for me to think about now!

Best bits:

Getting to work with important, historical records on a regular basis.

Worst bits:

Nothing in particular comes to mind here.

Advice to those who want your job?

The archiving profession is quite small in Ireland, so try to go to as many networking events/training, etc, as possible.

Any other comments?

Always try to learn from your colleagues, even if they work in different departments. You never know what little nuggets you’ll pick up!