IfA Secures HLF Funding to Continue Workplace Learning

The Institute for Archaeologists (IfA) has secured £355,746.69 of additional funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to continue its workplace learning bursary project. The IfA has run a project since 2006 to address identified archaeological skills gaps, and create opportunities for all sectors of the community to gain professional skills in archaeology following the award of £730,000 from the HLF in 2005. 32 successful candidates have received industry recognised workplace training built around the National Occupational Standards in Archaeological Practice, lasting between 3 and 12 months.

The IfA’s ultimate goal is for archaeology to be a meritocratic discipline that is open to all, with archaeologists able to gain qualifications that demonstrate their expert skills, competence and knowledge and whose capabilities and achievements can be appropriately valued and rewarded, and this project is a major step towards that goal.

This new funding will allow the project to continue for another 19 months, allowing 20 more individuals to take up placements with professional archaeological organisations. The project has been a huge success for the past 4 years, with more than 90% of bursary holders going on to secure employment or academic positions within the historic environment sector following the end of their placement. Three bursary holders were also the first candidates to complete the NVQ in Archaeological Practice at the start of 2009.

In addition to the seven placement-holders who are currently in post in 2009 (all to complete by June 2010), the new funding will be used to create new placements which will start throughout 2010 and 2011. These new placements will be tailored to meet the skills gaps that have been identified by research undertaken by the IfA and will take account of the changing working landscape that is confronting archaeology as the recession bites into this sector. The project will also identify and train Workplace Learning Champions who will promote the scheme and workplace learning across the sector.

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