21st April 2009, 06:05 PM
I never thought I'd see a forum discussion on the subject of me! Many thanks for your words of congratulations. In repsonse to a few points...
I appreciate the irony in getting a vocational qualification and then going back to academic study. Hopefully the qualification will be able to be offered through universities in tandem with an archaeology degree, ensuring graduates have the practical skills as well as the knowledge to become archaeologists. Certainly I think this 'proof' I have a degree of competance helped in gaining funding for my studies and research, as it gives some suggestion that any work will be carried out professionaly. Besides, it is currently a good time to be training (I appreciate I am fortunate to have been granted financial support!) and hopefully I and the other recipients of the NVQ will be in a good position from the perspectives of both practical and theoretical knowledge and understanding when the economic situation improves. I applied for PhD funding knowing I probably wouldn't get it, but also knowing that if I didn't try the liklihood of me gaining employment and being able to continue skills development and research outside of the academic environment were slim.
Secondly, I think it is an important point that the recipients of the qualification so far have been largely desk based, be this in finds or post-ex. It is up to units to embrace the qualification and find ways to allow their excavators as well as those 'back at base' to work towards these qualifications. Although there is cost involved, proving competancy and gaining the qualification takes very little extra work on the part of the unit or individual, provided they are competant of course!
I have heard through the grapevine of at least 1 unit and 1 university being interested in offering the NVQ, although whether this has got anywhere I don't know. What I do know is for it to be worth anything it needs to be taken up by more people than those supported by the IFA workplace bursary schemes and the relatively small number of other organisations currently offering the opportunity to gain the qualification.
Once again, thanks for the suport on the forum,
Ben
I appreciate the irony in getting a vocational qualification and then going back to academic study. Hopefully the qualification will be able to be offered through universities in tandem with an archaeology degree, ensuring graduates have the practical skills as well as the knowledge to become archaeologists. Certainly I think this 'proof' I have a degree of competance helped in gaining funding for my studies and research, as it gives some suggestion that any work will be carried out professionaly. Besides, it is currently a good time to be training (I appreciate I am fortunate to have been granted financial support!) and hopefully I and the other recipients of the NVQ will be in a good position from the perspectives of both practical and theoretical knowledge and understanding when the economic situation improves. I applied for PhD funding knowing I probably wouldn't get it, but also knowing that if I didn't try the liklihood of me gaining employment and being able to continue skills development and research outside of the academic environment were slim.
Secondly, I think it is an important point that the recipients of the qualification so far have been largely desk based, be this in finds or post-ex. It is up to units to embrace the qualification and find ways to allow their excavators as well as those 'back at base' to work towards these qualifications. Although there is cost involved, proving competancy and gaining the qualification takes very little extra work on the part of the unit or individual, provided they are competant of course!
I have heard through the grapevine of at least 1 unit and 1 university being interested in offering the NVQ, although whether this has got anywhere I don't know. What I do know is for it to be worth anything it needs to be taken up by more people than those supported by the IFA workplace bursary schemes and the relatively small number of other organisations currently offering the opportunity to gain the qualification.
Once again, thanks for the suport on the forum,
Ben