The Youth Forum, taking its cue from the current international debate on the training and professional role of "conservation" experts, intends to launch a discussion on the difficulties and obstacles experienced by young professionals when attempting to enter the real world of work and the training that is necessary both to enable them to do so successfully and for the conservation field to meet the growing challenges it faces. How can the curricula of Universities, specialist schools and higher specialisation courses adapt to the growing demands of scientific innovation? How can the working environment adapt to facilitate the inclusion of young professionals? How can young professionals be trained and involved in dealing with difficult challenges in the field, in particular the destruction caused by man-made and natural disasters and the management of World Heritage sites. This debate on professions, employment and training links to both the technical and social values of the conservation of cultural heritage.