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Autumn 2014 Number 93 The ARCHAEOLOGIST This issue: HOW DO WE TRAIN PROFESSIONAL ARCHAEOLOGISTS? Rising to the challenge: re- skilling the sector p3 Passport to the past: developing an archaeological skills passport p8 IfA membership and training p28 Institute for Archaeologists Miller Building University of Reading Reading RG6 6AB C ONTENTS 1 Contents 2 Editorial 3 Rising to the challenge: re-skilling the sector Kate Geary page 3 8 Passport to the past: developing an archaeological skills passport Hannah Cobb, David Connolly and Phil Richardson 14 A placement of EPPIC proportions: evaluating an IfA-funded workplace learning scheme five years on Andrew Burn 18 Jobs in British Archaeology 2013–2014 Doug Rocks-Macqueen 22 Meillionydd: training future archaeologists Max Higgins page 8 24 Introducing the IfA’s new Professional Practice Paper: an introduction to providing career entry training in your organisation Andrea Bradley 26 Recognising excellence in professional development: The Archaeology Training Forum Award Kate Geary 28 IfA membership and training Amanda Forster 30 A Question of value: an interview with Kate Clark, CEO 35 Registered Organisations news 40 New members 41 Members’ news page 22 44 Book reviews 46 Publishing in The Historic Environment or: ‘How I learnt to stop worrying and got something into print... Part 1: Why Publish?’ Roger White page 24 48 Noticeboard Autumn 2014 Number 93 1 I am very pleased to begin my tenure as Interim Editor of examples of how formal training programmes that build TA with an issue focusing on a subject at the centre of and expand on IfA materials are emerging across the Rising to the challenge: re-skilling the sector professional practice: how do we train future generations sector, how those programmes inspire individual and of archaeologists? organisational growth, and where you can find the tools to build training into your practice. Ultimately, After the economic misery of the last five Kate Geary, Standards Development Manager IfA Anyone who works as a professional archaeologist, from the better we train our people, the healthier our sector years, the historic environment sector is at last field technicians to museum, academic, public or will be. reporting an upturn in demand for its services. community archaeology, is well aware that the sector faced huge challenges as a result of the economic It’s a very exciting time to be working with the IfA as we Order books are filling up and the anticipation downturn, as charted through Doug Rocks-Macqueen’s approach the Royal Charter, and the next issue of TA of a number of infrastructure developments has ‘Jobs in British Archaeology’ article series in this and past (94) will provide an in-depth look at the new CIfA. The resulted in the return of a degree of business issues of TA. The downturn forced us to acknowledge magazine will be going through a redesign, and as confidence. that our model was not sustainable, and that always, we welcome article submissions and news from fundamental changes in the way the business of members and Registered Organisations. Please be aware This upturn presents a number of challenges for archaeology was conducted were needed in order for the that news will be included on a first-come, first-served the sector and, particularly, for those whose role sector to achieve resilience – and relevance. basis – don’t wait for the deadline to send us your it is to seek to influence the way it develops. update, as the issue may already be full. Now that money is flowing into the sector again and the Some of the challenges are local and potential for huge, life-giving infrastructure projects looms Feedback is welcomed, and from next issue forward immediate: how are we going to recruit on the horizon, have we learnt our lesson? More money we’ll be including a letters page. Please write in sufficient skilled field archaeologists to meet the won’t necessarily fix what’s broken. Providing adequate, about anything you’ve read in the magazine, or other levels of demand we anticipate, given the formalised training is an essential investment in matters you would like to bring to the attention of our numbers reported as having left the sector as a overcoming our two biggest hurdles – pay and conditions members. result of recession and redundancy? And if we – and retaining talent who have confidence in the can’t recruit the skills we want, where are our profession as a viable career. Archaeology is ultimately raw recruits going to come from, in the light of about human resources: the people of the past who have left the evidence upon which we base our practice, and falling university numbers? the people of the present who dig, study, publish and Lisa Westcott Wilkins communicate the value of what we do. How are we Interim Editor Other challenges are national and will only be treating, training and facilitating our human resource? addressed over a longer period of time. Can we use the change in economic fortune to diversify The IfA is at the heart of providing a strong foundation the way we recruit new talent and to develop for the profession and the resources to enable CPD and the sort of structured early career training that is skills provision. This issue of TA profiles some fantastic commonplace in other industries? Can we influence procurement processes so that skills and quality are routinely considered alongside A fine example of Notes to contributors Contributions to The Archaeologist are encouraged. Please get in touch if you would Edited by cost in determining the choice of contractor? the benefits of like to discuss ideas for articles, opinion pieces or interviews. Themes for our upcoming Lisa Westcott Wilkins MA FRSA structured training: Themes and deadlines Are we mature enough to develop the issues are noted below. There are a few significant changes to the process for future MIfA 7976 One of the most frequent queries that comes up in Ben Jervis TA 94: The Chartered Institute for issues, which are worth noting if you plan to submit an article. Interim Editor partnerships that will be necessary to change Archaeologists [email protected] relation to IfA membership is how membership grades completed a We now invite submission of 100-150 word abstracts for articles on the theme of the way we operate, in order to improve the Deadline for abstracts and images: forthcoming issues. Abstracts must be accompanied by at least three hi-resolution Members’ news: please send to relate to responsibilities in the workplace, as defined by medieval pottery 14 November 2014 quality of our product? And, perhaps most images (at least 300dpi) in jpeg or tiff format, along with the appropriate photo captions Lianne Birney, job titles, or the skills requirements and training needs placement with Deadline for full article (if selected): and credits for each image listed within the text document. Following this, the editorial [email protected] important of all, how can we begin to develop 5 Dec 2014 that go with them. Southampton CC team will get in touch regarding selection and final submissions, including article Registered Organisations: please the necessary resilience so that these new and the Medieval TA 95: Innovation: what are the latest length and final text due date. send to Jen Wooding, advances in technology, practice and [email protected] structures are able to withstand the ebb and As part of this ongoing debate, the Digger’s Forum has Pottery Research We request that all authors pay close attention to IfA house style guidance, which can training for archaeology? Have you be found on the website: www.archaeologists.net/sites/default/files/node-files/2014- IfA flow of economic cycles outside our control? proposed that IfA considers adopting a statement to the Group, and went on changed your ways of working to Submitting-articles-TA-v1.pdf Miller Building embrace innovations? Tell us about effect that the minimum level of competence expected to do a PhD before University of Reading the newest time-saving, financially TA is made digitally available through the IfA website and if this raises copyright issues of any professional archaeologist is equivalent to the becoming Assistant Reading In this article, Kate Geary, Standards efficient and socially inclusive any authors, artists or photographers, please notify the editor. Copyright of content and RG6 6AB requirements for Practitioner membership of IfA. This Inspector of Ancient methods in archaeology. illustrations remain with the author, and that of final design with IfA. Authors are Development Manager, IfA, examines current Design and layout by reflects another regularly debated question (usually in Monuments for Deadline for abstracts and images: responsible for obtaining reproduction rights and for providing the editor with issues of skills and competence and considers 10 February 2015 Sue Cawood appropriate image captions and credits. Opinions expressed in The Archaeologist are the context of commercial field archaeology) of whether English Heritage in Deadline for full article (if selected): some opportunities for improving how they are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the IfA. Printed by Duffield there are legitimate ‘pre- or sub-PIfA’ roles on site. The London, and a 10 March 2015 Printers Ltd (Leeds) defined, acquired, recorded and, ultimately, Digger’s Forum answer is a resounding ‘no’, and lecturer at Cardiff furthermore that anyone working in archaeology without University. © IfA valued. Editorial 2 The Archaeologist Autumn 2014 Number 93 3 • appreciate complex situations within the role held and be able to achieve partial resolution alone. Some activities are complex and non-routine • see actions as a series of steps and recognise the importance of each role in the team.