Tania W.
About me
| Tania W. | |
| Archaeology | |
| Field Archaeology | |
| Taught Postgraduate | |
| Wentworth | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Project Officer | |
| Canterbury Archaeological Trust | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Library, museum and information services | |
| Small business (0-49 employees) | |
| 1987 |
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A day in the life of a Project Officer in the United Kingdom
Experienced professional working in commercial archaeology
My career history
1987-2000 Field archaeologist, 2000-2002 Museum artefact cataloguer, then Museum Registrar, 2002-2007 being a Mum, doing MA, some University teaching and working in Unversity Careers department, 2007-present Field archaeologist
My advice about working in my industry
Starting in field archaeology is difficult. Long term contracts are very rare and you may be required to / find it necessary to move around the country to find work. Don't expect a fast track to the top, there is nothing that can replace experience and this only comes by putting in the work. If you don't like physical work and being out in all weathers this isn't the job for you.
Contacting me
Happy to give advice relating to working in commercial archaeology. Also happy to provide advice relating any aspects of fieldwork.
What I do
I am a Project Officer for a commercial archaeology unit in Kent. I direct field evaluations and excavations and take the results of this work through to publication.
Skills I use and how I developed them
I have worked in archaeology for many years and it is through working on a wide variety of excavations (rural and deep stratified urban sites) that I developed my excavation skills. As Project Officer I am responsible for the smooth running of the fieldwork, liaising with developers and other clients, and managing a team of archaeologists. Good communication skills are essential. Another responsibility is the team's health and safety, and welfare. These skills have developed through undertaking various courses (e.g. confined spaces training, asbestos awareness and so on).
Once the fieldwork is over, post-excavation work requires good analytical skills and the ability to draw together data produced by a whole range of specialists. Good writing skills are essential.
What I like most
Every day is different. Being outside. The different challenges that this job presents, and the fact that you never stop learning.
What I like least
Being chained to the desk for months, although when you see the project through to the end it does give you a good feeling of satisfaction.
Next steps...
If you like the look of Tania’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Tania a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Tania to be your mentor.