For those of you who trained in archaeology...

dr gonzo

What industry are you in these days? Is anyone working as an archaeologist at the moment?

mocmo

Still in the industry-just. I'm fairly specialized which has kept me going but I'm not sure for how much longer, seems to me things have worsened in the last few months.

Riamfada

Met a guy working for ADS yesterday. Very small scale, still not realistic as a long term area of employment. Almost everyone I know has moved on and those who havnt are still unpaid and usually on the social welfare just sticking in archaeology because there is nothing else to do and no jobs for arts graduates in the current (or future) climate.

Cailleachdubh

After three years of constant struggling, uncertainty and self-esteem at an all-time low I recently decided to do what I swore I never would do - go back and start from scratch in a pretty unrelated discipline. In my case it's medicine, but it seems many people are re-training as teachers.

Heart-breaking as it is to move away from archaeology, hanging around on the dole waiting for that couple of weeks in the year when you can take off and work somwhere random for minimum wage wasn't exactly confidence inspiring! I know there are a lot of heart-broken people out there who would have never considered leaving archaeology if there was enough work going for them to be able to scrape by and get the bills paid... It's sad. I feel sorry for the recent and upcoming graduates. They're in for a tough time if they want to try and make a go of it at the moment!:(

gwjones42

My budding Archaeological career never really took off. I went back to college to do a Post-Grad in primary school teaching and have been at that for four years now. ........ a lot of my teaching has an environmental/ historical/ heritage slant to it though so I'm keeping the faith!!

Meathlass

After 10 years in archaeology I gave up this time last year and now work in public service doing admin support. As someone else said completely heartbroken to be away from the coalface of archaeology and miss it terribly but sooner or later something had to give. Couldn't keep working on minimum wage changing location every 3 months.

Doolander

I did entertain Archaeology as a career but realised pretty soon that my future would be in ruins... !!!

get it.. ruins?


anyway, good luck with the diggin people.

gwjones42

Doolander wrote: »

I did entertain Archaeology as a career but realised pretty soon that my future would be in ruins... !!!

get it.. ruins?


anyway, good luck with the diggin people.

That's a pity. I reckon you would have been outstanding in your field!

trowelled

I worked for 2 years as a site assistant. I left archaeology because I couldn't hack the constant moving around and the uncertainty of when the next job was gonna come along. That was 2008. It's even worse now.

My boyfriend is sticking it out. In a way, I admire him for it. But I just couldn't do it anymore.

I now work in a GP practice. Steady work is a joy to behold. I do miss archaeology but it just isn't a viable career.

Seraphina

My career still isn't off the ground after 5 years study. Never really got a chance. I am attempting to get involved in a research project in Barbados next year, and I'm shortly going to start volunteering with the National Maritime Museum in London ( I did an MSc. in Maritime Archaeology). I'm not sure what to expect tbh, part of me worries I have such a defeatist attitude about the lack of jobs that I'm not even giving myself a chance. A fair few of the people who graduated with me have pretty decent jobs now though, so I'm holding out for the time being!

Aelfric

Even 10 years as a Site Director doesn't spare you from the dole queue I'm afraid. Since getting made redundant in mid-2008, I've gone back to my roots and qualified as an IT Trainer. I then when on to Uni to attempt a degree in business & computing, but failed miserably on the maths elements (Stats and Accounting). I never was good with figures. So, out of desperation, and a longing to continue with my 20 year archaeology career, I sent my CV and a detailed cover letter off across the ether. This resulted in a few inevitable knockbacks, but also a firm offer of a permanent position. The downside? It's based in Sydney. Australia. How will I cope with the weather? The beaches? The constant barbeques? Oh well, we must, I guess, suffer for our art! No but seriously, there are a lot of vacant positions out there at present, especially in Western Australia. If you're under 30, I'd definitely apply for a working visa, and get yourself out there, even if it's only for a few years until things come back around here, which they will, though not to quite the same extent as 2002-2007. Let's face it, it has to be better than the doomy gloomy atmosphere in Ireland at present...

sallywin

Possibly doable during the winter there but can't think of anything more horrific than working in that heat all day long, 5 days a week. I did do a research dig in Greece a few years ago in the height of summer and know that I couldn't work in that heat again. I'm a seriously hard worker but that heat wouldn't suit many Irish people.

I changed career and I'm glad of it. I loved working outdoors, loved the hard work, loved the social life, loved the archaeology, but there were a lot of out and out as*holes working in it (and many of them were the ones at it long-term) and the pay was pretty bad. Add in the job uncertainty, always wondering where the next job will be, etc. and well it's not for everyone. I miss the good bits deeply though.

slowburner

Give me a cool, crisp day - any day. Nothing saps energy and enthusiasm as quickly as digging on a really, really hot day.
I'd even prefer to work in the rain (except in clay soil, or a calm muggy day with midges).
There's something to be said for the Irish climate, in spite of the traditional moaning about it.

mocmo

Ha, I'm the opposite. Give me hot sun and a shovel any day over a cold winters day...fingers too cold to write or draw, context sheets blowing away in the wind, planning board acting like a sail....I always hated winter digging!

sallywin

mocmo wrote: »

Ha, I'm the opposite. Give me hot sun and a shovel any day over a cold winters day...fingers too cold to write or draw, context sheets blowing away in the wind, planning board acting like a sail....I always hated winter digging!

Mocmo with talk like that you are making me want to go back to it!

Reader1937

Specially as after 22 years in construction, I was accepted for a 4 year course in poor weather, no work and some not nice people. Not construction, no, more deconstruction really. I have always enjoyed the history side of it and look forward to the learning. I do not want to teach, and hope to make a go of it. I hope you all find what you are truly looking for and hope the employment situation improves. I will of course be watching this space as time goes on.

Riamfada

sallywin wrote: »

Mocmo with talk like that you are making me want to go back to it!

I actually miss hoeing frozen dirt as the sun crests the horizon on a December morning.

No wait ... I dont

bolgios

There are wonderful opportunities for a career in archaeology, just not in Ireland! I've had the possibility to work in various European countries - France, Germany, Austria etc. and found that as a profession it's much better respected (and funded) abroad. In Ireland (if u can get work), you tend to be treated, and paid, much the same as council workers (BTW nothing against council workers). Sad, but true.:(

Gee Bag

bolgios wrote: »

you tend to be treated, and paid, much the same as council workers

Council staff are treated and paid much better.

sallywin

Gee Bag wrote: »

Council staff are treated and paid much better.

As are Tesco staff even. Then again, we were warned.

Gee Bag

sallywin wrote: »

Then again, we were warned.

I didn't get that memo!

nice_guy80

I'm in teaching the last 5 years

glad I didn't stick with the trowel. Had some good experiences on digs abroad but the Irish companies were generally arseholes to work for and treated their employees badly and ran digs as profit making operations

sallywin

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I'm in teaching the last 5 years

glad I didn't stick with the trowel. Had some good experiences on digs abroad but the Irish companies were generally arseholes to work for and treated their employees badly and ran digs as profit making operations

So you made a fast transition between the two? Well done, i hope you're happy. I've given teaching painful consideration in the past and couldn't bring myself to do it. Had I not done archaeology it might have been possible. I don't know, the two worlds are inalienably different.