Zoe
I strongly agree with you that it is tricky finding out about pre-course
posts that are advertised in the Society of Archivists Journal. If you're
not an archivist/ on an archive course you can't get the journal, and if
you can't get the journal, you can't get a job and become an archivist...
This is infuriating and I think seriously needs to be looked into.
However...yes your posting does seem "a bit of a rant". You can't expect
to have it all handed to you on a plate. I can only offer you advice from
my experience of my first (non archives) MA 1997-2000, so here goes...
Graduate with debt, work for a year in a lowly admin job to earn enough to
pay for an MA, do the MA part-time over 2 years (2 days a week and
evenings) while working (4 days a week) to pay the rent, and doing unpaid
but highly valuable and enjoyable work experience thus gaining access to
the journal/job pages (1 day a week).
And yes, that does add up to 7 days a week.
Good luck
Phaedra Casey
Archive Assistant
Unilever Historical Archives
Unilever House
Blackfriars
London EC4P 4BQ
020 7822 5879
-----Original Message-----
From: zoe rowland [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 14 September 2001 14:28
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Filling Posts
I have been reading recently of the trouble many are
finding filling posts within the profession. I have
recently graduated and would like to do an MSc in
archives administration, but I am finding very
difficult to find out about, never mind get trainee
posts. I have found that you have to be very
determined and ferret around a lot to find
information. Another problem is that the majority of
posts are advertised through the society Journal, but
if you are not already studying or working in the
profession you cannot get hold of this information.
Acrhive work seems to be very hard to get started in,
and not very well paid, considering the level of
education and experience needed. Although it seems
likely that jobs will not be hard to come by once I do
qualify, which is a huge bonus.
As well as this the cost of training has to be
considered. People I have spoken to have suggested
unpaid voluntary work, and I have manged to get a two
week placement, but this is in no way a serious option
for those of us that have just come out of Uni owing
£10,000 plus to the governemnt. An extra £3000-4000
on top just for fees of doing the MSc or diploma, and
then living expences is quite a horrifying thought.
I am finding very infuriating seeing so many jobs
advertised for people who have completed their
training, but none for people wanting to go into the
profession. Has anyone considered making some of
these project posts available for trainees? You have
suggested using untrained temps to do the simpler
work, but wouldn't it help the profession more in the
long run to ensure that there are enough people
training to ensure that there are enough people to
fill the increasing number of jobs.
Apologies if this seems a bit of a rant, but if any of
you can ease the position of potentional archivists,
it would be great.
Regards,
Zoe
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