What next for a qualified student....

da_shivsta

Hey, not sure if this is the right place but thought you guys might have some helpful suggestions.
So, I'm just finishing my last few months of my Arts degree, I'm aiming to focus on archaeology as a career choice. I have some digging experience from last summer, and have got ok grades right the way through my degree. However, I understand the difficulty well-seasoned archaeologists have in getting jobs at the moment...
I can't afford a Masters at this point.
So I guess my question is, where do I go next?
I'm very willing to work on volunteer digs but not sure how to find out about these. Of course, I have contacts at my university (NUIG) who will let me know if they have anything going, but failing that where do I go?
sorry if this is not the place for this question.

dr gonzo

Unfortunately there arent a lot of options for archaeology graduates at the moment. Im just behind you and I've been consistantly told that even in the good times a masters was minimum to be considered for many jobs within the field.

There are certainly a number of oppurtunities if youre willing to volunteer unpaid but then the question is how do you make the jump. You cant be expected to work unpaid for a long period of time for nothing more then the hopes of getting a basic archaeology job. On top of which some of those excavations take clear advantage of people who have had it beaten into them that theres no money.

Ultimately theres very little to be said, there just isnt work for the vast majority of people in the industry. And even sadder again, a degree alone doesnt seem to be enough. I'm sure it'll pick up again soon enough but until that point there are very few opportunities.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Marchandire

dr gonzo wrote: »

Ultimately theres very little to be said, there just isnt work for the vast majority of people in the industry.

It's an industry with 85% unemployment and the occasional work pays near minimum-wage rates, usually with contracts lasting weeks rather than months.

If you have the resources to volunteer, you should use them to do a two year MA instead. Preferably in business or something actually useful :rolleyes:

Riamfada

What everyone I know has done is take a job outside the field, anywhere IF you can get one and then try and stay in the loop by reading papers ect. If you are planning on volunteering then head onto social welfare and get on to a dig where you can but it's not an easy option. Expect to be volunteering for years rather than months and even then it's no garantee. Sorry it's not a more positive response.

I'm working full time at the moment and read journals and still do the odd archaeology activity here and there but I gave up a long time ago on trying to make a career out of it. I have a masters, tons of volunteer work, conference papers and I worked for IAC and ADS on a number of excavations.

Mycroft H

I qualify at the end of the year and I'm already looking elsewhere. Its a dead end industry with pretty much all the work tied up with the collapsed building industry in Ireland.

perfectisthe

Unfortunately, it's an extremely bleak time for archaeology, something that's unlikely to change anytime soon. Someone suggested doing a masters in something else, and I think that's extremely good advice.

robp

If you are keen to stick to archaeology give some serious consideration to archaeology work overseas. There are places where paid work is available but its a big commitment just to pack your bags and leave.
In Ireland there are some archaeology openings in Jobs Bridges both in private sector archaeology and museums. There are other places too that often take take office related archaeology interns.

Cailleachdubh

I agree with the above posters that the prospects are extremely bleak at the moment in archaeology. Unfortunately, doing a masters (whether one or two years) is nearly just digging yourself deeper into a hole.

I would concentrate your resources on another skill area for the moment and if things start to look up in archaeology in a few years you could always do a masters then. Having some transferable skills wouldn't go astray either way anyway.

I hate saying this, but I think anyone would be mad to put all their eggs into the archaeology basket at the moment. There isn't much hope for an inexperienced newbie when so many experienced and highly qualified archaeology are desperate for work, even very poorly paid work.

Sorry if I sounds harsh but, like the posters above, I'm speaking from experience

dr gonzo

Cailleachdubh wrote: »

I hate saying this, but I think anyone would be mad to put all their eggs into the archaeology basket at the moment.

While I do agree with this to a certain extent, you have to do what you enjoy. I'm hopefully going to finish my single honours archaeology degree in May, after which I'm heading straight into an archaeology masters because nothing else interests me, this is what I'm passionate about.

In summary, logic is all well and good but spare a thought for what you love too

Cailleachdubh

In summary, logic is all well and good but spare a thought for what you love too [/QUOTE]

Of course you should ultimately do what you love! Just as long as you don't expect to make a living out of it!! If you're not worried about employment and are purely interested in archaeology from a research point of view, then by all means go for it!!

Look, to be honest archaeology has never really been seen as a HUGE money spinner (generally speaking) and most people that went for it in the past have tended to do so based on pure passion for the subject. So it's not for me to tell someone to steer clear, cause nobody could have put me off when I wanted to do it.

But just be prepared for the bleak prospects that are facing us all at the moment!

da_shivsta

thanks for all your advice.
I think, to be honest, based mostly on the advice from everyone (including lecturers) I'm gonna concentrate on other things (travelling, or any work I can get around home) and keep an eye on the archaeology sector.
If some volunteering work pops up then WAHEY! happy days, I'm doing what I love. If not, I can always hope work picks up a bit in the future.
The boards here and other blogs are a great way of keeping up with all the news wherever I may be.
So I guess here's to new beginnings come May; finding something else I love to do just as much as archaeo work! :rolleyes:

(I just hope my degree wasn't a waste of time and money )

dr gonzo

da_shivsta wrote: »

(I just hope my degree wasn't a waste of time and money )

Jaysus, dont we all.

slowburner

Just a thought.
The dole or other unconnected work - grim choices.
Excavations are going to be rarer than hen's teeth for the foreseeable.

But the sites aren't going anywhere and maybe, just maybe, tourism might hold its own.
We have féck all resources in this country - archaeology is an overlooked one, perhaps?

What do you think of the idea of archaeological tourism?
I think there is an opportunity in this.

Just thought I'd throw it into the ring for discussion and a bit of positivity.

da_shivsta

I know the dig I was on last summer was on the site of another early Med enclosure - down in the Burren - the land owner there had a great little visitors centre and even on really crap days he had bus loads of tourists popping in for tea and a look around. It's definitely an idea if you've nothing else to be doing ! :cool: