Community Archaeology Training Placements 2012–13: Wessex Archaeology
Training Placement Description
Please note applications for this traineeship are now closed
For employment with Wessex Archaeology
- Reporting to: Professor Andrew Fitzpatrick, Training supervisor/line manager at host organisation
- Training overseen by: Bursaries Co-ordinator based at the CBA in York
- Salary: Equivalent to PIfA grade recommendations - £16,450 for the 12-month placement (pension benefits in accordance with policies of the host organisation) – this is a salaried placement and subject to PAYE rules on tax and National Insurance
- Hours: 7.5 hours per day/37.5 hours per week with work time outside of these hours being compensated with time off in lieu. Post holders will be expected to work evenings and weekends as necessary with some flexibility.
- Location: Wessex Archaeology, Portway House, Old Sarum Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 6EB
Download an Application Pack here
Role: The role will require individuals to learn by directly working with line managers, training providers and mentors at the host organisations in order to acquire the skills needed to run and support effective community archaeology projects.
The skills being acquired/developed will be the kind of ‘soft’/intangible skills that are needed when working with the public/voluntary sector. These will include:
- Interpersonal skills, for example: social skills and coping with authority
- Organisational skills, such as: personal organisation, and the ability to order and prioritise
- Analytical skills, such as: the ability to exercise judgement, manage time or solve problems
- Personal skills, for example: insight, motivation, confidence, reliability and health awareness
These skills will be developed utilising archaeological information and practice as a learning and support mechanism. Postholders will be supported to learn how to enhance hard skills, such as excavation, archiving, processing, recording, publication - by using, presenting and interpreting archaeological information for public benefit and community/volunteer capacity building.
Postholders will undertake a number of tasks to develop knowledge of how to work with the voluntary sector. These will include (this is not an exhaustive list):
- Designing and running archaeological training sessions
- Designing interpretive and learning materials
- Initiating and supervising fieldwork involving volunteers
- Identifying and co-ordinating archaeological projects
- Setting up and co-ordinating networking opportunities
- Updating contact management systems
- Archiving and record management
- Identifying and contacting specific community groups for inclusion
- Evaluating the social outcomes of projects involving volunteers and community groups
- Contribution (where appropriate) to funding applications, either by the host organisation or by voluntary groups with which the host organisation interacts
- Publication for a variety of audiences
- Communication both oral and written (particularly in the context of explaining complex concepts).
- Postholders will also learn how to utilise new media to maximise access and share information.
Personal Qualities: CATP holders will:
- Be highly motivated to learn and develop their skills and apply these skills in a community context and for the benefit of the communities in which they will be working
- Be able to work under supervision, instruction and within a team, but will also be able to use their own initiative to work on your own, where necessary and/or appropriate
- Be willing and keen to gather evidence and materials related to the role to assist in compiling a resource to inform future training of individuals in this field
- Contribute to dissemination of information on the project and their work through presentation at conferences or by publication in journals, magazines or newsletters
- Be highly motivated individuals required to facilitate and encourage people in the local community to explore and discover the historic environment
- Be willing to undertake an NVQ in archaeological practice using existing and/or new experience/evidence within the 12 months of the placement
- Contribute to development and management of ‘community resources’ of equipment and materials for public use and provide training, advice and resources for fieldwork, duration and dissemination
- Promote best practice among the community by helping them with their projects, and enable a greater number and variety of people to get involved
- Be willing and keen to design and deliver training opportunities for community groups
- Be willing and keen to work with diverse communities in the location of their placement and gather information related to working with them and recommendations for developing community working practices to better suit their needs
The post will be based at the host offices in the areas listed above. The post-holder will work in the office or community, local area as necessary. The post-holder will be required to travel within the area covered by the post to work with communities. This may on occasion entail working at weekends or evenings and days off in lieu will be used to compensate for this.
Candidates must be able to demonstrate that they are eligible to work in the UK.
Application is by application form and a covering letter, which should clearly show how you meet the essential and preferred criteria for the post as outlined in the person specification.
The closing date for receipt of completed application forms is Friday 20th January 2012. Interviews will be held on 16th February 2012 at Wessex Archaeology.
Completed forms should be returned to Denise Speirs, Human Resources Manager Wessex Archaeology, Portway House, Old Sarum Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 6EB. Please check the postage required on your application as incorrect postage may lead to your application being delayed and missing the closing date. If you require an acknowledgement of receipt of your application, please enclose a stamped, addressed envelope. Alternatively, you can email your application.
About Wessex Archaeology
Wessex Archaeology is one of the best-known archaeological practices in the United Kingdom and is a charity with the aim of promoting public understanding and enjoyment of archaeology.
We have offices in Edinburgh, Rochester, Salisbury and Sheffield and embrace projects with strong elements of community involvement and development and work with a range of partners and stakeholders to achieve this.
We share information about projects through access and learning programmes that include site visits, fieldwork opportunities, displays and leaflets, working with the local and national media, and our award winning website
