As someone who is not involved in the management of the Society of
Archivists perhaps I could have my two-pennyworth on this.
All professions are by definition closed shops. Registration,
particularly as it is now established, is a way of providing employers
who know nothing about the profession, with a minimum indication that a
candidate has qualified and undergone some mentored post-qualification
experience.
From the profession's (and from the individual professional's) point of
view it is a way of trying to ensure that people who call themselves
archivists are so qualified and subscribe to the Society's Code of
Conduct.
Registration should only be a pre-requisite for second level jobs
because otherwise newly qualified people would not be able to get a job
and so could not build up the required portfolio of work and training.
What the Society does for its members is a different argument. I'm not
sure that it does much for me either as an individual. However, the
only way in which the profession can ever grow in stature and increase
its recognition is to ensure that its members are properly qualified and
equipped to do the job well. If they can't do this as a minimum, then
there seems to be little benefit to a potential employer in recruiting a
'real archivist' rather than simply rethreading one of their
longstanding employees.
[My three predecessors at Barclays were all from this latter camp. If I
achieved nothing else there, I was able to demonstrate the difference
that a qualified professional could make to what could be achieved and
to develop respect for professionalism in the sphere.]
Peter Emmerson
Director
Emmerson Consulting Limited
47a Salisbury Road
Harpenden
Hertfordshire AL5 5AR
Phone 01582 769842
Fax 01582 761740
E-mail [log in to unmask]
This e-mail message and any files transmitted with it are confidential
and intended solely for the use of the addressee. If you are not the
intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of it
is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this e-mail in
error, please delete it immediately and notify Emmerson Consulting by
return e-mail to the above address.
Emmerson Consulting Limited is registered in England No. 3607347.
Registered Office: Charter Court, Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead,
Hertfordshire HP2 5GE
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK mailing list for archivists, conservators and records
managers. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Christopher
Reed
Sent: 16 April 2002 15:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Registration
Regarding Kate's message, I for one would not be happy to see all
archivist job adverts stipulating that the post holder must be a
registered member of the SOA. It does rather smack of the 'closed shop'
that I thought we had seen the back of sometime ago.
I am an archivist with 7 years experience, but not a member of the SOA.
Currently I can see no advantage to myself, or my employer, by becoming
a registered member of the SOA.
Membership of the SOA costs about the same per year as my union, but the
SOA seems to offer none of the services/support that union membership
does.
The unique service I can see that SOA offers to its subscribers is the
regular opportunities pages, which do seem to advertise job opportunites
that don't appear elsewhere.
If I am being naive or not seeing the wider picture that is made clearer
by SOA membership, I would welcome enlightenment from other
correspondents to this list.
Chris Reed
RSPCA Headquarters
Wilberforce Way
Horsham
RH13 9RS
************************************************************************
**************
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are
addressed.
If you have received this email in error please delete it from your
system
and notify the system administrator - [log in to unmask]
This email message has been swept by virus checking software for the
presence of computer viruses but no warranty is given that this email is
virus free. You should make your own checks.
************************************************************************
**************
|