3rd October 2010, 07:01 PM
To me it seems clear that MIFA is very hard to get and takes many years of fieldwork and management. In places I have worked there are people who have been working in archaeology for a decade or more managing large sites and completing huge reports who still don't have it. In contrast I have seen others with no fieldwork experience and one year of graphics work (plus degrees in archaeology or illustration usually) who have Master Illustrator grade based on a good portfolio. Obviously both would be competent at their job but one is far more senior and paid accordingly (not talking about myself here!). If such an illustrator were to be recognised as a MIFA then it makes a nonsense of the IFA pay grade systems and diminishes the value of getting MIFA status for a fieldworker. Since the grades offered by the illustrators organisation are not equivalent to IFA grades then the only other alternative would be to give a PIFA grade which is also not appropriate. Reassessing the work of all the illustrators is obviously out of the question too.
Perhaps a new approach is needed. Illustrators are not the only ones who would be non-fieldworkers with IFA grades. The three grades might be introduced on a speciality basis, with archaeologists able to hold more than one at a time at different grades. OK this makes more work but at least it would mean something. It would also recognise the talents of people with multiple skills. Briefs could specify that an IFA member with MIFA status in fieldwork could be required to run a site etc... Exactly where to draw the line would be a bit of a nightmare though. Finds, Osteology, environmental - easy enough but management, GIS technicians, desk based specialists and so on might fall between stools. Still better than falling in one I suppose...
Perhaps a new approach is needed. Illustrators are not the only ones who would be non-fieldworkers with IFA grades. The three grades might be introduced on a speciality basis, with archaeologists able to hold more than one at a time at different grades. OK this makes more work but at least it would mean something. It would also recognise the talents of people with multiple skills. Briefs could specify that an IFA member with MIFA status in fieldwork could be required to run a site etc... Exactly where to draw the line would be a bit of a nightmare though. Finds, Osteology, environmental - easy enough but management, GIS technicians, desk based specialists and so on might fall between stools. Still better than falling in one I suppose...