4th January 2012, 05:15 PM
I personally suspect that there are many graduates in very many subjects who are at this moment in time surviving on the NMW and less....
We have visited before the question of whether students having completed an undergraduate, or even a post-graduate degree, are 'trained' enough to go straight into archaeological fieldwork (especially in the commercial sector). That might still be a discussion with legs, but at the moment it's slightly irrelevant because very few fresh archaeology graduates of my acquaintance are getting any kind of start at all in archaeology. And as I have said before on this forum I think that is to the shame of the profession as a whole and something that is going to come back and bite us hard in years to come. My point about the fantasy entry grade is really that it should be taken for what it suggests, an entry level into a profession providing training and experience that will reward those who see the 'apprenticeship' through with a minimum salary of ?25,000 after 5 years. I don't think that overtaxes the current resources of archaeology, merely redistributes it a little:face-stir:
To the best of my knowledge BAJR and IfA have always supported the principal of a 'training' grade provided it genuinely provides training within a structured programme. I happen to think that properly structured training of this kind (be it through company apprenticeships, training schemes or bursary schemes) helps unblock entry into the profession for fresh graduates. Of course I am not personally suggesting the current IfA or BAJR minima should be reduced. I was making the point of the NMW compared to a middle range salary after 5 years, to contrast the extremes that exist in UK archaeology at present. I know full well that there are few working archaeologists on the NMW, but there are also very few working archaeologists with 5 years experience who are earning ?25,000. I'd hoped that most people would pick up on that contrast.
My fantasy wage level wasn't intended as a snub to 'umble site assistants or an encouragement of 'time servers' just to stick it out for future 'riches' - infact if anything it is underpinned by the expectation that the first 5 years of any archaeological career would be geared to gaining experience and training best suited to a career in archaeology rather than just exploiting the muscle, energy and enthusiasm of the young. From what I hear from the trenches right now, sure people want work (they want wages!!), but very few are that short sighted, that they don't see their career progression beyond site assistant being pretty much blighted. unless they are able to gain skills that will widen their career aspirations, as well as making them more attractive as an employee or in a specialist role. Thats nothing to do with the commercial viability of companies, but all to do with the genuine career aspirations of employees and colleagues....which of course many archaeologists are beholden to respect, embodied as it is in the IfA Code of Conduct Principle 5 '....member shall recognise the aspirations of employees, colleagues and helpers with regard to all matters relating to employment, including career development...' , but also an aspiration that I recognise is often ignored.
That's all...
We have visited before the question of whether students having completed an undergraduate, or even a post-graduate degree, are 'trained' enough to go straight into archaeological fieldwork (especially in the commercial sector). That might still be a discussion with legs, but at the moment it's slightly irrelevant because very few fresh archaeology graduates of my acquaintance are getting any kind of start at all in archaeology. And as I have said before on this forum I think that is to the shame of the profession as a whole and something that is going to come back and bite us hard in years to come. My point about the fantasy entry grade is really that it should be taken for what it suggests, an entry level into a profession providing training and experience that will reward those who see the 'apprenticeship' through with a minimum salary of ?25,000 after 5 years. I don't think that overtaxes the current resources of archaeology, merely redistributes it a little:face-stir:
To the best of my knowledge BAJR and IfA have always supported the principal of a 'training' grade provided it genuinely provides training within a structured programme. I happen to think that properly structured training of this kind (be it through company apprenticeships, training schemes or bursary schemes) helps unblock entry into the profession for fresh graduates. Of course I am not personally suggesting the current IfA or BAJR minima should be reduced. I was making the point of the NMW compared to a middle range salary after 5 years, to contrast the extremes that exist in UK archaeology at present. I know full well that there are few working archaeologists on the NMW, but there are also very few working archaeologists with 5 years experience who are earning ?25,000. I'd hoped that most people would pick up on that contrast.
My fantasy wage level wasn't intended as a snub to 'umble site assistants or an encouragement of 'time servers' just to stick it out for future 'riches' - infact if anything it is underpinned by the expectation that the first 5 years of any archaeological career would be geared to gaining experience and training best suited to a career in archaeology rather than just exploiting the muscle, energy and enthusiasm of the young. From what I hear from the trenches right now, sure people want work (they want wages!!), but very few are that short sighted, that they don't see their career progression beyond site assistant being pretty much blighted. unless they are able to gain skills that will widen their career aspirations, as well as making them more attractive as an employee or in a specialist role. Thats nothing to do with the commercial viability of companies, but all to do with the genuine career aspirations of employees and colleagues....which of course many archaeologists are beholden to respect, embodied as it is in the IfA Code of Conduct Principle 5 '....member shall recognise the aspirations of employees, colleagues and helpers with regard to all matters relating to employment, including career development...' , but also an aspiration that I recognise is often ignored.
That's all...
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...