The First NVQs in Archaeological Practice
Archaeologists and training professionals gather in Southampton to celebrate the awarding of the first NVQs in Archaeological Practice.
The NVQs were developed by the Institute for Archaeologists on behalf of the Archaeology Training Forum, working with the awarding body EDI. They have been piloted with trainees on the IfA’s workplace learning programme placements, funded by English Heritage and the HLF.
The first ever NVQ was awarded on 7 January to Ben Jervis who has just completed a specialist placement in medieval pottery with Southampton City Council and the Medieval Pottery Research Group. Hot on his heels were Lindsey Buster who has completed a placement in Historical Archaeology with ARCUS in Sheffield and Julie Lochrie, who has been training to be a prehistoric finds specialist with Headland Archaeology in Edinburgh. Julie has been kept on by Headland Archaeology in a specialist role following her placement while Ben and Lindsey are moving on to do PhDs. Lindsey believes that doing the NVQ, which accredits practical skills gained in the workplace, helped her gain her funded PhD position. All three worked extremely hard to gain the Qualification and make the most of the opportunities afforded by the workplace learning programme and were warmly congratulated by IfA and EDI representatives. Also present was Mary Harvey who will soon complete her NVQ and who has been training with the Nautical Archaeology Society in Portsmouth.
As well as trainees on the workplace learning programme, the NVQ is available to anyone who is working in archaeology (whether on a paid or a voluntary basis) and who can gather the appropriate evidence. IfA is currently working with a group of amateur archaeologists and staff from the Greater Manchester/University of Manchester Archaeological Unit to accredit skills gained through involvement with community archaeology projects and through local archaeology groups. Because it is a modular, and therefore flexible, qualification, the NVQ is also ideal for accrediting on-the-job learning and can be adapted to accredit professional training within archaeological organisations.
For more information about the Qualification and the IfA’s workplace learning programme, please visit the IfA website. Web addresses for the other organisations mentioned above are also given below.
