Training at Uni debate

[chiz]

When I was doing my archaeology BA there were over 100 students in my year!
Kevin's points are right, but we get back to restricting access. Now square that with increasing access for the public to participate...

Because there are so many archaeology graduates employers know they will always be able to hire fresh staff. And its accepted that 80% of graduates who try digging will leave within 5 years or whatever the stats are, so no-one cares. And because most archaeology sites/tasks are fairly simple, and there are still enough old lags to do the difficult bits, units don't properly bother to train new staff UNTIL they've been there a while

For me its about teaching an awareness of the issues, skills and industry at universities, rather than set skills per se, although there should be a simple set of those like grid, strat and levelling. With an awareness in place the student can then proceed to fleshing it out with new skills at work without being swamped on day one and not understanding how it all fits together. I agree universities can't do the employers job, but they shouldn't pretend to the students that they train students for commercial skills if they don't.

[Oxbeast]

I'd go more for bob's level of knowledge, than David's extensive list. There are vocational degrees if you just want to know how to dig, bradford being the obvious example. In fact, if you just want to know how to dig, why not just volunteer/get a job in field archaeology? (not this month obviously). A lot of that stuff can be covered in written assignments, though, perhaps as part of a 'professional practice' module.

[chiz]

exactly, all you need is a few modules for those who want to go into commercial work/curatorial. Plus the general understanding of what really happens out there on sites. And I agree Bradford etc are the choice for them, especially with the placements. More of them would be possibly the single biggest improvement?

[BAJR Host]

All very useful comments... and I will definately agree with 1man...

I will go over the list again, and see about turning it into a more broad, general knowledge bullet pointed thing... to give a picture.. it does not mention for example the other branches, of which field is just one... thanks for all this.... be back with more soon (BAJR.. seems to work at coming up with good ideas - thanks to you all)

"Gie's a Job.."
Prof. 'Dolly' Parton

[1man1desk]

Posted by Kevin Wooldridge:

quote:I don't disagree with a single word that 1M1D says....and his idea of a three-year graduate training programme seems a great way both to deliver and monitor skills acquisition. But where was the last time that anyone saw a 3-year contract dangled in front of an archaeologist of the 'old lag' variety let alone a newly-graduated field archaeologist.

I can't take credit for the idea, I am afraid - it is something my company has been doing for years.

However, we are a consultancy, and archaeologists only make up around 13 out of 45,000 total staff worldwide. We are therefore benefiting from something set up and operated originally for non-archaeologists. I quite agree with Kevin that few if any archaeological organisations are likely to do anything like this.

However, that doesn't get away from the central point, which is that we can't expect University graduates to emerge as 'the compleat archaeologist', with all the practical skills. On-the-job training in some form is the norm in all professions, and will remain so in archaeology, and we have to accept that as part of our responsibility.

1man1desk

to let, fully furnished

[the invisible man]

Absolutely seconded.