17th November 2013, 03:14 PM
Wax Wrote:... most of my peers, the ones I went to school with and grew up with are all earning well over £30,000. Few archaeologists have any hope of earning at that level. The route for survivale is to hook up with a partner who will have steady job and good income, something that allows a good many archaeologists to continue in the job. Many do not have permenant contracts and even more leave the profession....If you have ambitions towards job security and a good living then you will not enter this profession.
The last Profiling the Profession survey showed that 61% of UK archaeologists are in the age range 30-49. That seems to me to represent people who have decided to stick with archaeology having had some experience of what the conditions and salary and types of contract are....you would imagine that most disillusioned folk would leave in the years immediately following graduation i.e early to mid 20s.
So I don't accept your contention that people leave the profession purely on those grounds or that the number that leave exceed the number who stick with it. A permanent contract in archaeology is one thing, almost permanent work is another...sometimes folk can overlook the permanent contract providing they have permanent work even if it is a series of short contracts....
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...