2nd July 2007, 02:16 PM
The biggest problem is getting people trained though this situation is improving thanks to the recent IFA bursaries and long term campaigning by the Roman, Medieval and Prehistoric ceramics groups along with other finds groups.
The pay is relatively good at a basic level, but I think one problem is that after a certain length of time people wonder where it is leading them or whether they are stuck at that level forever (I don't expect sympathy from the fieldies for this as its not a bad level to be on). One result of this is that once people are established there isn't that much movement from and to other posts and therfore limited opportunities for new converts. Also the free lance market is fairly well catered for these days so less specialists are moving from units into this area.
Unfortunately, as has been discussed before in relation to MOLAS reorganisation, specialists are not always seen as best value for money or integral to an organisation. However on the flip side as many smaller units expand they are retaining and creating more in house specialised posts from ceramics, small finds, bones and environmental so I think the general trend is up.
The pay is relatively good at a basic level, but I think one problem is that after a certain length of time people wonder where it is leading them or whether they are stuck at that level forever (I don't expect sympathy from the fieldies for this as its not a bad level to be on). One result of this is that once people are established there isn't that much movement from and to other posts and therfore limited opportunities for new converts. Also the free lance market is fairly well catered for these days so less specialists are moving from units into this area.
Unfortunately, as has been discussed before in relation to MOLAS reorganisation, specialists are not always seen as best value for money or integral to an organisation. However on the flip side as many smaller units expand they are retaining and creating more in house specialised posts from ceramics, small finds, bones and environmental so I think the general trend is up.