Career guidance needed!

[smiles]

Hi all,
I've just found this fantastic site and I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice? I'm 26 and really want to study to become an Archeologist but I don't know where to start. I work full time so returning to education full time isn't an option. Can anyone tell me what A levels would be good to start with? Is the open university a good option?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Smiles

[the invisible man]

Hi Smiles

The usual entry level is a degree, and most job adverts require a minimum of 6 months commercial archaeology experience (I know, chicken and egg situation). I think most people here will tell you that experience counts as much or more than the degree, but then nearly every working archaeologist has at least a degree. I'll leave that to those more direct experience to advise you.

Open University do not offer archaeology. My personal advice is to find a good extra-mural course (now known as Lifelong Learning or sometimes still Continuing Education) and go for a Certificate and then a Diploma, all evening classes. I don't know where you are based, but most of these courses are excellent. (I know one or two that aren't). I recommend Oxford, and Birkbeck is very good, so is Sussex.

This won't get you a job. But you'll find out about archaeology and learn some basic principles and chronology, and what the questions are. Opinion seems to vary but I am of the belief that practical field skills are only one side of it, you need to know what you are digging up and why.

You will no doubt be advised to gain practical experience by volunteering on digs. Easier said than done. Look at the CBA website (www.britarch.ac.uk) and go to Fieldwork Opportunities for a list of training and volunteer digs. It is also published in their magazine British Archaeology, available at some WH Smiths. The "popular" magazine Current Archaeology also publishes an annula directory (out with this months mag) but is not in the shops. Its on their website www.archaeology.co.uk. There are also local societies, some of which dig. Be warned though that most training digs charge, and the experience won't cut much ice with potential employers. But they can be fun and it will tell you if you really enjoy it.

This might all sound a bit gloomy but there's no point in telling you you can start tomorrow in a well paid job working outside in the sunshine. But there are totally insane people in well paid jobs who give them up to go and do archaeology degrees!

We owe the dead nothing but the truth.

[Gizmo]

i went the usual degree route so dont really know how to go about it any other way but i will say that some of the best archaeologists i have worked with DID NOT have a degree and some of the most useless had MA's and PHD's. In my humble opinion the most important traits a field archaeologist can have are a willingness for hard graft and a LOGICAL mind. I recently helped train an 'older' gentleman who had quit his white collar job (with company car)with no relevent degree and within the month he was producing work to the standards of people with more experience (and the required degree!!!!!)
this is not to say learning the theory behind archaeology is not important. i for one loved my course and still use the knowledge i gained while i am on site.
All i can say is if you want to do field work keep badgering you local units, they will cave eventually. that is how i got my first job out of uni and i have never been out of work since.

[smiles]

Thanks very much for the tips guy's, I have lots of studying to do!

Smiles

[BAJR Host]

That answer was so good, I have added it to the new BAJR II FAQ section

for a sneaky peak at BAJR II go to

http://www.bajr.org/BAJRFAQ/detail.asp?iFaq=203&iType=18

many thanks

Another day another WSI…

[troll]

There is always the feet first approach-hard to take the step if you are currently earning.Keep working for year-put some serious dosh away then go full-time for a degree.Tiz a huge life-changing decision but by immersing yourself in a university environment, you`ll have a good idea if the job is for you or not-important decision if you are already earning a wage.Thats not to say that working in the field without a degree isn`t possible either but can be a gamble as a new starter.At least studying full-time comes with regular food on the table...the circuit doesnt always provide such luxuries.If you are intent upon a big move into archaeology-keep working, stash a bit, volunteer on a few sites when you can before making any decisions.Whatever you do, keep us informed and the best of luck. :D

..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)

[Vis]

There are lots of jobs out there at the moment. All the units are recruiting.
I'd like to say a degree in Archaeology is necessary but it is not.
It helps at a higher level e.g. supervisory/project management and above. At ground level i.e. a digger it is more important to have experience.
This is a proper catch-22 situation. Units mostly want you to have lots of experience especially in deep stratigraphic archaeology.
However in times of emergency as in there is alot of work and not enough diggers to go around (like now i think), they will take almost anyone willing to work.
Keywords to go on your CV for digging work:
Driving license with own car (=easy transport for unit to use)
willing to work anywhere in the country away from home for long periods.
long list of experience.
list of publications e.g. watching briefs, evals, excavations if you have them.

[peta]

hey folks

liverpool uni has a good continuing education set up, and they do lots of archaeology courses as night classes. could be a useful way of getting a taster for higher education without giving up the day job. i'm almost through my degree by studing at night, and i still have my day job to pay the bills. here's their website if yer interested (new prospectus out mid summer):

http://dbweb.liv.ac.uk/cll/ce.asp

good luck !

peta