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Pay rates - going where? - BAJR Host - 9th November 2009
http://www.torc.org.uk/nos/nosmap.asp
For the National Occupational Standards (NOS)
What seems to be missing is the basics.
Can you draw a plan?
Can you take a photograph?
Can you lay out a trench?
Can you Find where the nearest benchmark is?
Can you take a level?
etc.
Does the Skills matrix have this? -- serious question
There are Practical skills mentioned... ie
here:
http://www.historical2.bham.ac.uk/modules/pg/iaa/MA%20Practical%20Arch%20DE%20Part%20C.doc
Also the project document :
http://www.archaeologists.net/modules/icontent/inPages/docs/training/project_report.pdf
The modules for Field Staff are as follows
Module 6 Carry out site investigations
AJ9 Reduce risks to health and safety in the workplace
Either AC2 Conduct non-intrusive investigations
Or AC4 Conduct intrusive investigations on an archaeological site
Module 7 Contribute to site investigations
AJ10 Contribute to health and safety in the workplace
Either AC3 Contribute to non-intrusive investigations
Or AC5 Contribute to intrusive investigations on an archaeological site
What I can't seem to be able to find anywhere (and this would be good if anyone can point me to them) is where you show competance in specific field skills and it is recorded and verified
Pay rates - going where? - Kathryn Whittington - 10th November 2009
The following comes from Kate Geary, IfA's Training and Standards Manager
"National Occupational Standards are units of competence which define what a competent person should be able to do within a given task or job role. The NOS for Archaeological Practice cover a wide range of different activities and are worded in such a way as to be flexible, so that they can be applied to almost any situation an archaeologist might work in. The Standards are made up of ?Units? which describe a task or activity; each unit is then subdivided into ?elements? and each element has a set of performance, knowledge and skills requirements which must be met in order to demonstrate competence.
For example, unit AC5 deals with basic fieldwork skills. The unit is called Contribute to intrusive investigation and is broken down into three elements: preparing for the investigation, undertaking it and recording. You can see the detail of the performance, knowledge and skills required for each element at http://www.ukstandards.org.uk/Find_Occupational_Standards.aspx?SuiteNosID=8878&FormMode=ViewModeSuiteNos&NosFindID=4.
As part of the unit, you would need to demonstrate (amongst other things) that you knew which equipment to use and how to set it up, you would need to show that you could identify features and that you could record them in an appropriate way to the required standard.
The NOS can be used to design training, to conduct skills audits and as the basis for job descriptions, as well as being the building blocks of the NVQ. NOS are the government?s preferred competency standards and exist across an almost bewildering range of sectors, including construction, engineering, management, retail ? even philosophy and theology! One way in which NOS could be used in archaeology is to identify the basic skills required by fieldwork staff.
The IfA has assessed its membership criteria for the three corporate grades against the requirements of the NVQ and has concluded that NVQ Level 3 requires a level of competence that is slightly higher than would be required for PIfA grade membership of the IfA and that NVQ Level 4 is slightly higher that AIfA grade. For more information about NOS and how they work in other sectors, see the UK Standards website at http://www.ukstandards.org.uk. The IfA is encouraging employers and academic institutions to use the NOS to design training and academic courses to ensure that they are vocationally relevant."
Pay rates - going where? - BAJR Host - 10th November 2009
Brilliant.. never knew this existed. many thanks Kate.
Definitely has a framework to work with the basic fieldwork skills - though I do keep coming back to the same thing. Does this mean If I pass this module you can be sure I can draw a section to a useful level, or take a level and know where to find out where a benchmark is.
I remember wading through the complex (but it had to be that way) NOS a way back.. I think it is good. and can be used. Could it also be used for a simple system as well?
ANd here we come back to the original post... the advert seems to want people with skills... and this is not reflected in the advert? or is it?
Pay rates - going where? - BAJR Host - 10th November 2009
http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/mod/vanillaforum/vanilla/comments.php?DiscussionID=135&page=1#Item_2
See the new thread