Archaeology Training Forum

Archaeology Training Forum

Meeting on the 26June 2013

1pm Kings Manor, York

MINUTES

Attendees: Anthony Sinclair, Robin Turner, Peter Connelly, Tara-Jane Sutcliffe, Kate Geary, Raimond Karl

1. Apologies

Roger White, Ken Smith, Stewart Bryant, Rebecca Jones, Bob Hook,Mark Beattie-Edwards, Jennie Godsalve

1. Minutes of last meeting (20March 2013)

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed. It was noted that Duncan Brown (Archaeological Archives Forum) and Chiz Harward (Diggers Forum) would join ATF at the September meeting

1. Matters arising & action points from last meeting

• AS has not yet contacted SCFA. RK noted that there had been some discussion regarding who would represent SCFA at ATF. RK is on the SCFA steering committee and action planning is in progress. There are approx.. 30 members of SCFA which meets twice a year, engagement with ATF is seen as a priority.

Action: RK to report further in September

• PC has discussed providing a list of placement opportunities with Adrian Tindall, FAME chief executive. Will raise again at the AGM/FAME Forum later in the week. FAME would welcome better dialogue with SCFA.
• AS has discussed am ATF webpage with colleague at Liverpool. Awaiting a new system so will need to wait until that has bedded in.
• AS to discuss a regular feature in British Archaeology. KG confirmed that regular articles in TA would be welcome. ATF members to supply content, needs an introductory article initially
• KG still to draft letter to ATF member organisations asking them to nominate a representative. ICON has been contacted but has not yet responded. NB. Following the meeting, Alison Richmond confirmed that Kenneth Aitchison would be the ICON representative at future meetings
• AS noted that the HEF event had taken place, AS, RT and KG were in attendance.It was noted that a very broad range of skills areas were represented and that made achieving consensus quite difficult. A report is due in July and will be circulated to the Forum. The intention is for a historic environment wide working group to be set up to look at skills issues across the historic environment.

Action: KG to circulate information about HEF with the minutes

<Insert link>

• KG to chase up whether link to NAS e-learning programme was circulated following the previous meeting

1. Report from CCSkills

There was no report from CCSkills. It was noted that Jennie Godsalve is currently on maternity leave.

1. ATF Vision and forward plan

KG outlined the origins of the draft forward plan which had been circulated for comment following the last meeting. RK enquired about the currency and relevance of NVQs, KG explained that the Level 3 award was still going although with fairly small numbers of candidates drawn largely from HLF funded workplace learning schemes. It was agreed that re-establishing the Level 4 is a priority.

Action: KG to establish costs and attempt to source funding

There was considerable discussion around the potential to incorporate NVQs within degree programmes and KG confirmed that IfA has been talking to a number of archaeology departments about this.

Action: RK to raise with SCFA

RK noted that the higher education market is changing and that there is greater potential now for integrating vocational training than previously. AS described the new higher education achievement record (HEAR) which involved students gathering a portfolio of work along with letters of support to help demonstrate employability. RT noted that better integration of vocational and academic training is essential in order to produce good archaeologists in the future.

It was estimated that approx.100 graduates attempt to enter the profession each year. This is against a backdrop of approx.4500 professional archaeologists in the UK as a whole.

Action: KG to circulate a summary of the NVQ requirements at Level 3 to ATF and incorporate the development of Levels 4 and 5 into forward plan

It was suggested that a meeting with SCFA and FAME should be arranged with the aim of tasking a working party to look into the issues further. There is a need to explain the NVQ further and to illustrate with examples from successful completers.

The Terms of Reference, Vision and Forward Plan were discussed, amended and are circulated with the minutes.

Action: PC and AS to formulate a proposal for a session at TAG to encourage further discussion

The ATF website was discussed and its link to TORC. It was agreed that this need further discussion with Mike Feider/Sarah Howard at CBA in particular with reference to costs. It was noted that the TORC system is currently maintained through the goodwill of CBA.

Action: TS to ask Sarah Howard for further information on use and costs and bring information to next meeting

Action: KG to invite Sarah Howard to attend next meeting and add to agenda

The meeting reviewed how the mechanisms for improved ATF communication. It was agreed that articles in British Archaeology and The Archaeologist should be a priority including details of ATF Awards. It was also agreed that the September meeting, as final meeting of the year, should review ATF actions over the year for a short report.

Action: AS to draft introductory piece and circulate for comment

Action: KG to add annual report to agenda for September meeting

1. Workplace Learning Programmes

KG, TJS and RT reported that the IfA, CBA, RCAHMS and EH bids to the HLF Skills for the Future Fund has all been unsuccessful and they were not aware of any successful archaeologist bids. It was noted that this might have serious implications for the numbers of candidates going through the NVQ unless alternative sources of funding can be found. TJS reported that CBA is looking at applying for a smaller pilot project from a different funding stream within the HLF and is also considering the Erasmus Learning for All fund.

It was agreed that ATF has a role in coordinating future bids and might usefully seek a meeting with HLF to outline concerns.

1. AOB

There were no items of AOB

1. Dates of Future Meetings:

18 September, London, venue English Heritage, BH to confirm

18 Dec at TAG in Bournemouth, AS to confirm

25 June 2014, Edinburgh

It was agreed that a further meeting would take place to coincide with the IfA Conference in April 2014 in Glasgow