Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I'm supposed to help my teenage daughter find a few days work experience in February (10th-14th) and its proving really hard. She is really passionate about history and archaeology and hopes to train in this field in the future. We've sent out about 30 requests and had no luck. Do you work in a museum, with archaeology or any related field and feel you could help us?

A million years ago (early 1990s) as part of an MSc Archaeology I did one day a week at the Museum of London processing soils samples and finds in their lab underneath the museum itself. They might be worth a try and also the Institute of Archaeology in Gordon Square which is part of UCL.


Afraid I have moved on and contacts have changed at both institutions but still worth a try. As a career unless you are in the education side it is not great - poorly paid, short term contracts and lots of moving around the country to where the work is - suppose that could be most things these days! Interesting and great to study though. Conservation of finds would be a good career path and easier to get a longer term job at one institution. Good luck.

Thanks Mrs TP for taking the time to reply..The institute of archaeology is a place we had not thought of so we'll get on to that this evening. Conservation of finds is exactly what she'd like to end up doing, but it seems the conservators have a strict over 18s only policy.


She started her own collection of Neolithic tools and early metal items about 3 years ago, and has been avidly mudlarking, metal detecting, buying and selling and taking her finds to museums for authentication, but passion for the subject seems to count for very little and this work experience thing could be dampening, rather than firing her enthusiasm....Its frustrating.

Have you tried contacting the council for British archeology? They may be able to suggest places to contact. Also there are often opportunities to volunteer at digs, although not sure this would count as work experience.


Also what about large construction companies or projects like Crossrail? They will often engage an archeologist to investigate potential and actual construction sites, especially in and around the City.


ETA: have you thought of contacting universities that have an archeology course? They might have some office work for a week or something?


I have no background in archeology just offering suggestions of places to look... Hope they are useful!

That's not a bad idea gwod, maybe she could send them an interview with an aspiring archeologist as part of her request. The latest archeology related event she's been to. Her favourite item from her collection, what first inspired her, where she'd like to be in 10 years time. Would showcase all that passion and might be fun to do.
I must say I'm surprised teachers don't help with this - neither of my parents were in this field, nor did we know anyone who was, so if it hadn't been for lovely Mrs North I'm not sure what I would have done! Went on to do a degree in Ancient Near Eastern History which I have completely failed to use (it was actually quite boring).

Thanks Fuschia, Lots of great ideas in there, some of which we've investigated and some of which we hadn't thought of, so Ill get on to them straight away. The History website is a good resource for her too, really appreciated you having a think about it.


Oimissus, It is surprising the teachers don't help...they must know the sorts of places that kids in previous years went to, certainly the public schools have on-going arrangements with companies for their kids to go to, but in the state system its each man for himself!

Many schools do help. There are third arty organisations that will also provide schools with a work experience package. There is quite a lot involved with regard to insurance, risk assessments etc.


I don't know if your daughter's school have signed up with this organisation? http://www.southwarkeba.org.uk/education-business-alliance-projects/work-experience.html

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Eh? That wasn't "my quote"! If you look at your post above,it is clearly a quote by Rockets!
    • Exactly what I said, that Corbyn's group of univeristy politics far-left back benchers would have been a disaster during Covid if they had won the election. Here you go:  BBC News - Ex-union boss McCluskey took private jet flights arranged by building firm, report finds https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp3kgg55410o The 2019 result was considered one of the worst in living memory for Labour, not only for big swing of seats away from them but because they lost a large number of the Red-wall seats- generational Labour seats. Why? Because as Alan Johnson put it so succinctly: "Corbyn couldn't lead the working class out of a paper bag"! https://youtu.be/JikhuJjM1VM?si=oHhP6rTq4hqvYyBC
    • Agreed and in the meantime its "joe public" who has to pay through higher prices. We're talking all over the shop from food to insurance and everything in between.  And to add insult to injury they "hurt " their own voters/supporters through the actions they have taken. Sadly it gets to a stage where you start thinking about leaving London and even exiting the UK for good, but where to go????? Sad times now and ahead for at least the next 4yrs, hence why Govt and Local Authorities need to cut spending on all but essential services.  An immediate saving, all managerial and executive salaries cannot exceed and frozen at £50K Do away with the Mayor of London, the GLA and all the hanging on organisations, plus do away with borough mayors and the teams that serve them. All added beauracracy that can be dispensed with and will save £££££'s  
    • The minimum wage hikes on top of the NICs increases have also caused vast swathes of unemployment.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...