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13th August 2010, 12:29 PM
Since when was being a MIFA any evidence of competence? Was once treated to a full MIFA (site director for what was then a major unit) attempting to show his son how to half-section a posthole - nice simple round thing with vertical sides, flat bottom, full of black stuff and cut into nice yellow sand....what a comedy, in the end all nearby work ceased to watch the incompetence. Interesting the same guy wasn't subsequently employed to write the site up..... Have worked for plenty more MIFA/AIFA-muppets since. First thing IFA could do to gain any credibility at all should be to kick out all the (often self-accredited) members they've accumulated over the last 30 years who should never have been let in in the first place.....:face-stir:
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13th August 2010, 12:30 PM
It is intersting to see this debate return again (more so with the other fascinating post on archaeology from a diggers point of view) One has to say this is a little article by Tim just throwing a ball into the court to see what people think. To my mind it is an intersting concept, and one that in principal would have a reasonable level of backing... IF things were a bit different in the profession to start with. To my mind, it is reasonable to prepare for the future, but currently the place is in a mess and thinking too much about chartered status is a bit like contemplating the taps you will put on the bath when the house has been swept away by a hurricane. Deal with accomodation, deal with payscales, deal with training, deal with curatorial standards, deal with management procedures first, then think about being a grown up profession. currently we are a toddler profession that is trying to act like an adult.
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13th August 2010, 12:59 PM
Just to clarify, and I apologize for labouring the point, but an "architectural consultant" or similar is someone who is not an Architect but is practising as one, and is sort of hinting that s/he is one... It is possible, legal and perfectly acceptable to be a registered Architect but choose not to be a member of the RIBA. You simply don't put "RIBA" after your name, you can put "J Bloggs Architect" on your cards and letterhead. Many proper firms are headed up by one or more Architects, and may employ other Architects, but usually employ a number of technicians (their body whinge on about being wanting to be called technologists) and indeed these guys often head up teams containing Architects...... the point of all this drivel is that I wonder if your average digger might be equivalent to technician (and don't get your high horses, there is no shame in this!) perhaps working towards Chartered Archaeologist status, but still entitiled to use the style or title Archaeologist.
I pretty much agree with you in principle Oxbeast, but I think the RICS model is perhaps a bit complicated to emulate. The beauty of the architectyrla model is that you either are an Architect or you aren't.
I think that if Chartered the IfA would inevitably "behave more professionally" although I think you may be being a little harsh on them at present. Possibly they need to get more of the message across.
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13th August 2010, 03:17 PM
(This post was last modified: 13th August 2010, 06:06 PM by vulpes.)
Quote:
Since when was being a MIFA any evidence of competence?
Hmmm.... Since it was one of the only widely available and recognised peer reviewed systems of assessing and demonstrating competence as an archaeologist and also a commitment to ongoing training and abidance to a code of conduct etc etc. That is, other than certain (minority) vocational courses (Cert. Archaeol.; HNDs etc) and newer initiatives (e.g. NVQs) being developed by... surprise surprise.... the IfA.
:face-approve:
Whereas your recently completed I-Spy Archaeology Book (Dinosaur), I suspect lacks any real currency south of the Tees.
:face-stir:
[INDENT]Shiny assed county mounty, office lurker, coffee junkie and facebook scanner[/INDENT]
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13th August 2010, 03:44 PM
I think it can only be a good thing. While I think its right people too have reservations it seems to me that if this goes ahead then great! As for competance in the current IFA system its a case of pay your money get your letters! I'm sure there are plenty of suggestions on how we could improve this if the IFA were able to make the profession chartered. Exams, tests etc... The current CPD doesn't seem at present to do the job, but that doesn't mean the system can't work
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13th August 2010, 05:55 PM
Hmm....I was recently told by a curator of the IfA's response to a unit who had 'lost' a site archive including human material; 'We'd rather you sorted it out between yourselves.'
I wonder if the fact that a member of said unit is on the committee had anything to do with their tardy response.
The points described by Foxy are certainly worth striving for but their structure and image needs hell of a lot of sanitising.
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14th August 2010, 02:34 PM
vulpes Wrote:Whereas your recently completed I-Spy Archaeology Book (Dinosaur), I suspect lacks any real currency south of the Tees.
:face-stir:
Sorry, you lost me there.... :face-huh:
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14th August 2010, 04:24 PM
An unnecessary piece of sarcasm. Lets try and keep this as a discussion rather than descending into pointed comments. Vulpes... you could have left it at the first statement without adding the last sentence. Polite warning as they say.
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14th August 2010, 10:07 PM
Well, at least the IFA are thinking about moving forwards. Strikes me that Chartered status as a profession could have some fairly hefty advantages. It could also be a potentially painful transition for some. I think this thread could be just the place for some reasoned dialogue on this....
Just what does holding Chartered status do for the profession on the whole and for the workforce as individuals? How does a modern 21st century Chartered profession operate and what legal standing do they have? What would Chartered status mean for those of us who are not members of the IFA? Far too many questions to ask tonight so more later....
Just really responded to this quickly before heading back to the X-Box so a bit short but just to emphasise that this really is a discussion we need to have and arguably-this is the best place to have it on the basis that there are plenty of pro and not-so-pro IFA subscribers here so a balanced "chat" should break out!
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16th August 2010, 08:41 AM
BAJR Wrote:An unnecessary piece of sarcasm. Lets try and keep this as a discussion rather than descending into pointed comments. Vulpes... you could have left it at the first statement without adding the last sentence. Polite warning as they say.
No probs, Vulpes probably unaware that at least 95% of my digging has been south of the Tees? Not many English counties I haven't dug in (Cornwall and Suffolk spring to mind) for at least 30 different outfits :face-approve:
