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Essential field skills guidelines - chiz - 24th October 2008
7, directions for a JCB driver.
I'm sorry but I would not expect a new recruit to know how to bank a JCB, or a 360. Its a specialist job, officially requiring a ticket and should only be done by trained staff. New staff should have an awareness of how to behave around machines, the need to get the drivers attention before walking past, which way they can slew, swing etc. Most supervisors don't know the correct hand signals!
Essential field skills guidelines - Dirty Dave Lincoln - 24th October 2008
I_love_rocks,I raise my hat to you for raising such an important topic! there are some very good points made.:face-approve:
Essential field skills guidelines - gorilla - 24th October 2008
A few thoughts from an old-lag.
1. Everyone... from students, newbies, old-lags, yuppie-managers and unit directors. Accept that every once in a while [u]YOU</u> are actually wrong about something... and grow some gonads to actually admit that it was [u]YOUR</u> oversight / mistake / omission / f**k-up. Don't try to cover it up and never, ever pass the buck... be a brave soldier and accept that you have faults too (just like everyone else).
2. Old-lags... sometimes you just have to admit to yourself that someone younger, fitter, a different sex and better brained than you SHOULD (WILL) get past you in the jobs market. It's called evolution.
3. Newbies and Stoodents... your dissertation supervisor has told you that you are the "Best thing since Binford". You may actually be a whole lot better than Binford, but try and tone it down a little... arrogance is one thing (actually helps in some cases) but being a know-all, "I went to Camoxdursheffshire University and I am an archaeological God!" git is another.
4. Supervisors and PO's... never make someone do something that you wouldn't do yourself. If it is Siberia outside the tea-hut, would you go outside? "Nah! I's staying inside where it's warm and dry" (excuse... some admin / post-ex to do). Yet you make the troops get out there. Don't abuse your power!
5. Project Managers, Consultants... just because you have to suit-up and power-dress every now and again, don't forget your roots... the actual archaeology, your colleagues and the staff that helped you to such a high-vaunted position. Remember, you were a sh*t-digging mud-buddy once... if you have to visit a site, try and have a quick chat with the lower echelons. Don't be arrogant and snobish.
Essential field skills guidelines - Dirty Dave Lincoln - 24th October 2008
Gorilla, point 2 is very relevant to us old lags-I have to admit that my own computer skills do not compare to most of the younger folk getting jobs today,solution? i'm off to college to learn what I need from a CLAIT 1 course during this current stint on t'dole.
Old lags should never be to proud to admit we don't know everything or be to proud to learn new tricks!:face-approve:
Essential field skills guidelines - RedEarth - 24th October 2008
Quote:quote:Originally posted by gorilla
A few thoughts from an old-lag...
A small point from a young lag and a lesson in efficiency - you could have just summarised your points 1-4 with a single point 'don't be a t*at'!
Profits up by 75% as a result!
Essential field skills guidelines - gorilla - 24th October 2008
In rply to Redearth
Originally posted by gorilla
A small point from a young lag and a lesson in efficiency - you could have just summarised your points 1-4 with a single point 'don't be a t*at'!
Profits up by 75% as a result!
Ah... hoisted by my own petard! I humbly admit my superfluousness and recognise your genius!
Essential field skills guidelines - RedEarth - 24th October 2008
Quote:quote: Ah... hoisted by my own petard! I humbly admit my superfluousness and recognise your genius!
Let's not get carried away... but if you insist!
Essential field skills guidelines - chiz - 24th October 2008
Quote:quote:
A small point from a young lag and a lesson in efficiency - you could have just summarised your points 1-4 with a single point 'don't be a t*at'!
reminds me of the refreshingly brief site induction once received from a demolition manager, went along the lines of 'you know the score, don't act the c***. Sign this and get out there'.
surprisingly, no-one got hurt on that site.
point 5: know when to keep your mouth shut when asked questions by developers about a) whether you have found anything, and b) when you will be off site. There are things on site that are best left to others to deal with.
point 6: knowing when to speak up and raise an issue, and how, when and where to do so, and to whom!
point 7: the ability to listen and follow instructions always helps
Essential field skills guidelines - John Walford - 24th October 2008
Point 21 (I think; I've lost track of the numbering a bit)
Develop some basic understanding of agricultural practices, etc. Maybe not so important when on a full excavation, but when doing fieldwalking / geophysics / trial trenching etc, you will usually be on working farms and have to try to keep the farmer happy. It helps to have some idea what crops can or can't be trampled, and to be able to pick up on signs that there might be shooting going on on the land (stands of cover crop, bits of clay pigeon everywhere), and to have a least a little bit of a clue about working around livestock. Even, basic things, like being able to recognise an electric fence, could usefully be taught.
"Hidden wisdom and buried treasure, what use is there in either?" (Ecclesiasticus ch20 v30)
Essential field skills guidelines - BAJR Host - 24th October 2008
we may have enough now
) I will concede on the JCB.. saying only you should be aware that archaeology is not often done with a leafblade and dental-pick.. a basic Site Health and Safety awareness.. and how to ensure a JCB does not remove the head that is so full of potential !
Don't be a t#@# though.. is a measurable and achievable goal!
"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers