Catch 22

[gwyl]

Why do commercial archaeologists expect university archaeological departments to pump out functioning cannon fodder?

it's not a question of expecting universities to pump out cannon fodder - it's more that people leave university with certain expectations and a level of experience which is not commensurate with those expectations; moreover, excavation is a skill which requires years to develop; some are better than others, but anyone excavating is always learning whether day one or year twenty-one; universities however if they are to be educating archaeologists, rather than graduates who have, for want of a better word, majored in archaeology do have the same obligation as units to instil more than the theoretical principals if they are also leading their students to believe that they are the next generation of Wheelers, Hawkes, and so forth; it is therefore clear to me that for those who wish to continue in field archaeology field work is necessary, in the same way that you would perhaps do an MSc in Osteology before trying to get to grips with a bone assemblage, or whatever. the attitude that anyone can dig is widespread, and it's true if you are only talking about knocking out some earth - but really it is a fallacy; if you are going to dig archaeologically and make sense of it requires skill. Although as Dinosaur points out - and experience confirms - there are an awful lot of people out there with first, second and third degrees, still digging. it ought not to be seen as where the rejects end up - which is sometimes the feeling, not being a 'specialism' - but that is a crock. the (big yellow) trowel is the first point of contact - and able use of it should be acknowledged as the specialism it is; what's the problem, if well done, of using a machine to excavate an enormous ditch, for example?

This attitude says everything about where this profession currently is - costed on the cheap, employed on the cheap, no training budget, no prospects.

Join your union. Join the IfA. Mobilise. Take action. Whatever...
Aux armes, camarade.