concern with Ireland digs

[Jules]

Hi, just discovered the new site after browsing the old one for about a week! Well, I’m just writing in response to a discussion on the previous board regarding dodgy conditions in Ireland. I don’t have a lot of experience ( 4-5 months to be precise and am basically hoping someone will take me on the strength of this & my references) and I thought working in Ireland would be a really great opportunity but am having second thoughts after reading all your comments! What exactly are these ‘problems’ and er, ‘conditions’? Would I be foolish to try?

Any advice greatly appreciated!

jules

Oh, I like the new site – v pretty

[Digger]

I spent almost a year digging in Eire. I enjoyed it and made heaps of good friends that were amazingly supportive in my relocating from OZ. Down side is that a lot of active CRM companies are highly profit driven. They will fire you rather than pay you over Christmas or if they are worried that the works going to go quiet. They are happy to re-hire later. I was on a site where it was discussed if Miss X should be paid for the afternoon off that she was having to get her leg stitched back up.

Some companies can be lax on safety issues, usually bracing large excavations. Hope fully this has improved with the intro of the safe pass.

Otherwise brill archaeology, not often you get to hold a mint bronze age spear head,viking bone comb, find a ring fort across the road etc.

I'd do it again. I've come across some very negative comments here some justified but a lot of it seems to be Britcentric.

[leg11aug]

Hi Jules, I haven't worked in Eire, but I have worked for Headland Archaeology in Scotland who also have an office in Cork. If they treat their their Irish employees like their Scottish staff then they'd be a good crew to work for. they have an add in the employment section at the moment.

[Mtgorry147]

Hey Jules

I've been working in Ireland for over three years now having got fed up with seven odd years in Scotland.

There is a lot of work over here at the moment especially with the infrastructural schemes. Of note at the moment is the M3 motorway going through the Tara/Skryne valley (Very political and probably subject to protestors). At least three other road jobs are on the go at the moment so there will be plenty of work available.

If you're thinking of coming over, you will need to complete a one day safe pass course at your own expense (c. 100 euro). You'll also need a PPS no (social security)and bank account.

As for the units, thye have a bad rep mainly because of the way the road jobs are tendered. The competative nature of the tendering process means that the units have to price lower each time which obviously means that wages go down. Recent adverts for diggin jobs haev advertised wages at the same level they were at over three years ago (absoutely appalling).:(

There are some good units out there (thankfully I've now with one of them) but jobs with them are few and far between. You will find the units that work the roads will treat you like the preverbial but the craic and archaeology may make up for it. I would recommend you try it for a few months over the summer and see how you go.

Be aware housing is very expensive and on 400 euros a week, you wont have much beer money left.

[troll]

Sound advice, ditto lots of it... Can be frustrating waiting for a social security card and, some hostels can be challanging. Ran over there when the bse thing all but killed work off. Go and dig there.No question about it. People are like family within days of meeting you and, the archaeology...can be out of this world. If you get the chance, get out into the countryside on days off too....do it !:D

[lucy78green]

trouble is the larger companies are the ones who get the road schemes, the smaller ones may treat you better but can't always guarantee jobs! I'm starting with a new crowd on monday so I'm hoping ....

Lucy

[Mtgorry147]

Lucy, what you say is right. It is the bigger companies that get the jobs and at the moment that seems to be about three major companies.

While the smaller ones may treat you better, many of them are also complete cowboys that dont have the tools, transport, post-ex facilities, general office space. This leads ultimately to frustration and looking elsewhere.

When I left scotland, I left a reasonably good company and came to a much smaller one with no facilities. Very difficult to adjust.I then was with a larger unit that went bust in the middle of a road job. :(:(

The problem with the big companies getting the road jobs is that they really have them sown up as they have all the tools required, the costing sheets are all done and they roll from one job to the next. This makes it extremely difficult for any other company to break into the market and again leads to lower tender rates, ergo lower wages.

Good luck with the new job[8D]

[smcder]

do you need a degree to get a job in ireland

[lucy78green]

No, it all depends on experience as to which job you get except you wont get a directors license in the Republic without a degree. If you have no experience you start as a GO and work your way up

Lucy