Crossing the Pond

[umstree0]

Anyone have any advice for a Canadian archaeologist considering making the move to the UK? I've got a fair bit of consulting experience over here but am not sure how this will translate overseas. Anyone else made the jump (either way)? If so what were your experiences?

Getting to a "senior archaeologist" position over here has been a long, tough slog. I'm a bit worried that the move would put me back on the bottom rung of the archeology career ladder.

Thanks for any feedback...

[archaeophobe]

Hi

I would suggest targeting units / large consultancy firms with a well presented CV that stresses transferable skills etc. It would also be highly beneifical from a consultancy perspective to ensure that you are fully conversant with PPG15 and PPG16 (only for England - Scotland, Wales and Ireland are different) and the relavent legal frameworks. Reveiwing BAJR's guidance and the IFA standards is a good starting point.

It would also be useful to highlight any soft skills and also any heritage / community work.

Finally, you are likley to encounter some reluctance to employ because of your different archaeolgical background - but if you are good then wise employers should spot the potential.

Best of luck
Archaeophobe

[archaeophobe]

Hi

I would suggest targeting units / large consultancy firms with a well presented CV that stresses transferable skills etc. It would also be highly beneifical from a consultancy perspective to ensure that you are fully conversant with PPG15 and PPG16 (only for England - Scotland, Wales and Ireland are different) and the relavent legal frameworks. Reveiwing BAJR's guidance and the IFA standards is a good starting point.

It would also be useful to highlight any soft skills and also any heritage / community work.

Finally, you are likley to encounter some reluctance to employ because of your different archaeolgical background - but if you are good then wise employers should spot the potential.

Best of luck
Archaeophobe

[tom wilson]

First point is that 'consultancy' might mean something different over here than in Canada. Our guidance paper, PPG16, advocates a tripartate system of 'contractors' (who do fieldwork), 'curators' (who monitor standards for the government) and 'consultants' (who monitor work for the client). Thus, what the Aussies, Kiwis and Yanks call 'consulting' is what we would call 'contract archaeology', 'field archaeology', or simply 'digging'.
I've met a fair few Canucks (?sp.) digging here, although I think most were already here at college or in a different profession. Most of the administrative (visa) side of things is likely to be left to you. What are the visa regulations for Canadians and Brits wanting to work in each other's countries? Anyone know?
It's certainly possible though, as some areas of field archaeology are pretty short-staffed. If you can't find work here, you could also consider Ireland or other parts of Europe. If you speak fluent French I recon Oxford Archaeology would be very interested to hear from you.
PM me if you want to ask anything specific.

[tom wilson]

First point is that 'consultancy' might mean something different over here than in Canada. Our guidance paper, PPG16, advocates a tripartate system of 'contractors' (who do fieldwork), 'curators' (who monitor standards for the government) and 'consultants' (who monitor work for the client). Thus, what the Aussies, Kiwis and Yanks call 'consulting' is what we would call 'contract archaeology', 'field archaeology', or simply 'digging'.
I've met a fair few Canucks (?sp.) digging here, although I think most were already here at college or in a different profession. Most of the administrative (visa) side of things is likely to be left to you. What are the visa regulations for Canadians and Brits wanting to work in each other's countries? Anyone know?
It's certainly possible though, as some areas of field archaeology are pretty short-staffed. If you can't find work here, you could also consider Ireland or other parts of Europe. If you speak fluent French I recon Oxford Archaeology would be very interested to hear from you.
PM me if you want to ask anything specific.

[BAJR Host]

Thanks for these comments

Tom... that was a stroke of genius about Oxford Archaeology!!



"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu

[BAJR Host]

Thanks for these comments

Tom... that was a stroke of genius about Oxford Archaeology!!



"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu

[kevin wooldridge]

A Canadian with fluent french might also be a valuable asset in France (working for a French archaeological enterprise and not neccesarily OAU) and may find it easier to get the relevant working permissions, if they don't have a 'family' (patriality/matriality) connection with the UK.

[kevin wooldridge]

A Canadian with fluent french might also be a valuable asset in France (working for a French archaeological enterprise and not neccesarily OAU) and may find it easier to get the relevant working permissions, if they don't have a 'family' (patriality/matriality) connection with the UK.

[monitor lizard]

Hi Umstree0 from a fellow Canuck (and go Senators go!).

There's a few of us over here, and maybe 3 or 4 on BAJR, so with luck you should get several first hand stories.

First off - they dig differently here - different methodology and a whole lot faster and a lot will be urban or semi-urban rather than rural, which is I'm guessing what you are used to. So stratigraphy. The development system itself isn't that different so will be familiar, and the legislation is broadly similar. However, if you are looking at consulting jobs (in the UK sense) you will need to know not just the system (but that can be easily learnt) but also how the sites actually work, so maybe you should spend some time digging. There is a lot of work going down here in the SE, and likely to increase.

What's your immigration status like? It's likely that no one will hire you unless you have a visa/right to abode or whatever - it's pain in the arse for a company to apply for on your behalf, and they have to demonstrate that you are not taking the job away from a Brit (or EU national). As posted by Tom, speaking French may be a really good way in to get past this as a special skill.

When I looked into this the other way around last year, it was suggested to me to switch to a multi-national engineering/environment firm here that had a cultural heritage division and a branch in North America and then apply for a transfer in a year's time.

But the UK is a fun place to work, and the sites are generally pretty varied and, which is why I came, there is more here than prehistoric that comes right up to the 17th century and then a few trading outposts:D! There's proper old stuff - castles and Romans and kings!

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

ML

[monitor lizard]

Hi Umstree0 from a fellow Canuck (and go Senators go!).

There's a few of us over here, and maybe 3 or 4 on BAJR, so with luck you should get several first hand stories.

First off - they dig differently here - different methodology and a whole lot faster and a lot will be urban or semi-urban rather than rural, which is I'm guessing what you are used to. So stratigraphy. The development system itself isn't that different so will be familiar, and the legislation is broadly similar. However, if you are looking at consulting jobs (in the UK sense) you will need to know not just the system (but that can be easily learnt) but also how the sites actually work, so maybe you should spend some time digging. There is a lot of work going down here in the SE, and likely to increase.

What's your immigration status like? It's likely that no one will hire you unless you have a visa/right to abode or whatever - it's pain in the arse for a company to apply for on your behalf, and they have to demonstrate that you are not taking the job away from a Brit (or EU national). As posted by Tom, speaking French may be a really good way in to get past this as a special skill.

When I looked into this the other way around last year, it was suggested to me to switch to a multi-national engineering/environment firm here that had a cultural heritage division and a branch in North America and then apply for a transfer in a year's time.

But the UK is a fun place to work, and the sites are generally pretty varied and, which is why I came, there is more here than prehistoric that comes right up to the 17th century and then a few trading outposts:D! There's proper old stuff - castles and Romans and kings!

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

ML

[umstree0]

Thanks for all the quality feedback folks!

I am looking into the OA tip (cheers). The posted positions are for project managers though and, being realistic, I figure an entry level position would be more fitting (chance to learn a bit more about different regulations, excavation practices, and regional culture history). Also, like most anglo-canadians my french is okay, but not fantastic.

Little more on my personal background in response to some posts:
1. I have dual British/Canadian citizenship, so I don't think work visas are an issue (don't have a National Insurance # though, not sure if this is a problem)

2. My "consulting" experience has mostly involved guiding development proponents through Provincial heritage legislation obligations. Most often, the field component involves site survey and reconnaissance rather than excavation. Occasionally, where conflicts are unavoidable, mitigation involves limited (test) excavations and/or monitoring of on-site development.

3. I work in British Columbia and almost all my excavation experience has been here. The only historic (non-aboriginal) materials that are legally protected here are those dating from ca.1790 (arrival of first Europeans) to 1846 (an arbitrary date). As a result I have very limited experience outside of "Prehistoric" archaeology. Ceramics, metals and architectural features would represent a whole new world of materials to me and require some getting used to.

thanks again,
Ian

Sens for the Cup!

[umstree0]

Thanks for all the quality feedback folks!

I am looking into the OA tip (cheers). The posted positions are for project managers though and, being realistic, I figure an entry level position would be more fitting (chance to learn a bit more about different regulations, excavation practices, and regional culture history). Also, like most anglo-canadians my french is okay, but not fantastic.

Little more on my personal background in response to some posts:
1. I have dual British/Canadian citizenship, so I don't think work visas are an issue (don't have a National Insurance # though, not sure if this is a problem)

2. My "consulting" experience has mostly involved guiding development proponents through Provincial heritage legislation obligations. Most often, the field component involves site survey and reconnaissance rather than excavation. Occasionally, where conflicts are unavoidable, mitigation involves limited (test) excavations and/or monitoring of on-site development.

3. I work in British Columbia and almost all my excavation experience has been here. The only historic (non-aboriginal) materials that are legally protected here are those dating from ca.1790 (arrival of first Europeans) to 1846 (an arbitrary date). As a result I have very limited experience outside of "Prehistoric" archaeology. Ceramics, metals and architectural features would represent a whole new world of materials to me and require some getting used to.

thanks again,
Ian

Sens for the Cup!

[kevin wooldridge]

quote:Originally posted by umstree0

I have dual British/Canadian citizenship, so I don't think work visas are an issue (don't have a National Insurance # though, not sure if this is a problem)


The following site gives some details of how to obtain a national Insurance number. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/migrant_workers_helpsheet_english.pdf


Word of warning. If you are serious about working in the UK, you should get yourself a proper sports team to follow. Obscure Canadian references to Senators aint gonna cut much mustard here;)

[kevin wooldridge]

quote:Originally posted by umstree0

I have dual British/Canadian citizenship, so I don't think work visas are an issue (don't have a National Insurance # though, not sure if this is a problem)


The following site gives some details of how to obtain a national Insurance number. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/migrant_workers_helpsheet_english.pdf


Word of warning. If you are serious about working in the UK, you should get yourself a proper sports team to follow. Obscure Canadian references to Senators aint gonna cut much mustard here;)

[tom wilson]

I always felt that hanging out with archaeologists provided an alternative form of small talk to be bored by, Kevin.

[tom wilson]

I always felt that hanging out with archaeologists provided an alternative form of small talk to be bored by, Kevin.

[BRahn]

Hey Ian,

I made the CDN-UK shift but through an academic route. Having said that, I can confirm everything that's been said before. Your field skills will definitely transfer pretty seamlessly. I was thinking that perhaps another way to ease the transition would be to take a 'working holiday', and try to get work on a site or three, then return to Canada and start looking for a job in the higher ranks of a unit.

Another more expensive option would be to apply for something like an MA in field archaeology or practical archaeology, which would be costly, but would act as a crash course in all the various practicalities of UK-style CRM. There are a couple of Nova Scotians at my institution currently doing precisely that, and I doubt either would struggle to find work once they finish their course.