After noting the increase in the knowledge and techniques of conservation taught to students, and the resultant trend toward specialization, the author draws attention to a maladjustment between trained conservators and their employers or customers. The situation is caused by a deficiency in management skills; reasons for this include: the close involvement of restorers and conservators with art objects rather than people and lack of training in the senior administrative skills needed to run more complex conservation departments (training in museology, effective communication, setting priorities and organizing tasks, and the whole range of business skills). Suggestions are presented toward curriculum broadening.