The IFA and its programme for change The surveys, and the IFA's own consultations, have underlined concern that practising archaeologists are not receiving the training they need. As the professional body for archaeologists in the UK, the IFA has a major role to play, with others, in developing a learning environment in which archaeologists will be provided with the necessary skills to carry out their responsibilities. As a first step, this document articulates an IFA vision of how training and learning might develop within the profession. It offers some more detailed options for taking the process forward, but the IFA recognises that along the way ideas will develop, problems will emerge and solutions will evolve. The IFA intends that this evolutionary process will, as rapidly as is practicable, develop and implement a structure for professional archaeological training that serves the needs of the profession, its clients, the discipline of archaeology and the public we serve.
Different employers distribute duties among their staff in a variety of ways.
It should be possible to identify the key roles undertaken by archaeologists, and to establish a degree of consensus on the skills, knowledge and experience required to undertake these roles at different levels of responsibility. Archaeology is primarily a graduate-entry profession, reflecting the need for all archaeologists to have a good grounding in academic skills. Equally, sound practical experience is required to practise competently in any area of the discipline. Most first degrees are not intended to provide this experience, nor to cover many of the practical skills required by professional archaeologists. We intend to work with archaeological employers and training providers to ensure that opportunities exist to acquire essential practical skills.