Training at Uni debate

[andy.bicket]

I agree. If archaeology was a vocational (biblical sense!) degree like divinity, medicine, vetrinary medicine etc, then the degree would have to provide 'training to practice'. The vast majority of archaeology degrees offered are aimed, like most other disciplines, at grounding the individual in the broader subject often with the opportunity to specialise. Post-graduate degrees are offered in some UK institutions in order to form a specialisation for Field/Commercial Archaeology, then there are assorted bursary schemes and NVQ's. Perhaps the need to go beyond the undergraduate degree as a qualification to 'do' archaeology is here? To 'do' academic archaeology requires extra training and qualifications. I don't want to sound harsh but I don't think this topic has been raised recently so I'll put my neck on the block...[gulp]

To my knowledge archaeology degrees offered in the UK do include field skills and an introduction to the commercial sphere to a greater or lesser extent. This forum has recently discussed at length CPD and training, and whilst partly a personal task, it is clearly in the interests of employers to train their staff, no matter the length of their contract so as to invest in the discipline. In this developing downturn I imagine this will be one of the first things to go.

Thanks for bringing this topic here, Hosty, as always very supportive. I'll nip over to facebook and take a look...

Andy