Let’s examine how we foster or discourage the next generation of museum workers…what are the opportunities (bridges) we build for a mutually beneficial experiential learning situation and what barriers do we put up (intentionally and unintentionally) to restrict our staff and our organizations from fully participating in this process? During this session the following questions will be explored: What can we learn today that helps us manage the process of encouraging and supporting young cultural workers across our museums? Do we have an obligation to support interns, placement students, and co-op students? How much of a museum worker’s time should be spent in procuring, training, mentoring and supporting the next generation of cultural workers? What role is undertaken by the educational institution, and what responsibility falls upon the student to negotiate an ideal ‘placement’? How do cultural organizations respond to requests – from educators and from students? Is there a person in the museum that fields the inquiries? What information do you require to move forward with a request? Are there policies on the procurement of interns or students: the type of work they might undertake, access to information, the liability of the museum should there be an accident and the issue of compensation versus no payment at all?