THE CONSERVATION CENTER FOR ART AND HISTORIC ARTIFACTS (CCAHA) WILL DEVELOP A PILOT WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CONSERVATION TECHNICIANS. THE PROJECT RESPONDS TO AN IDENTIFIED NEED TO EXPAND CAREER PATHWAYS IN CONSERVATION FOR PROFESSIONALS WITHOUT A GRADUATE DEGREE. CCAHA WILL PARTNER WITH DREXEL UNIVERSITY'S LENFEST CENTER FOR CULTURAL PARTNERSHIPS TO CONNECT UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WITH EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES WORKING ON DREXEL COLLECTIONS AS CONSERVATION TECHNICIANS. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CCAHA STAFF, STUDENTS WILL LEARN KEY COMPETENCIES RELATED TO THE HANDLING, TREATMENT AND CARE OF MUSEUM OBJECTS, AS WELL AS SPECIFIC SKILLS RELATED TO THE DIGITIZATION OF MUSEUM COLLECTIONS. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A TOOLKIT FOR IMPLEMENTING SIMILAR INITIATIVES BETWEEN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND CONSERVATION LABORATORIES, SO THAT UNDERGRADUATES AT OTHER COLLEGES MAY ALSO BENEFIT.