Australian Archaeology in Profile: A Survey of Working Archaeologists

Abstract

Results from the most comprehensive survey of professional Australian archaeologists ever undertaken are considered in the context of teaching and learning issues. The survey focused on the composition of the archaeological workforce, professional activities of archaeologists, skills and qualifications needed to work in archaeology, and opinions on archaeology teaching, learning and professional training. Data about the discipline are a basic requirement for informed decision making on archaeology teaching and learning, but few useful datasets are available. While results generally confirm anecdotal evidence and findings of previous surveys, the large sample size (n = 301) enables more detailed characterisation of important aspects of the contemporary archaeological workplace. An analysis of self-assessed skill sets and skill gaps indicates that the training of many professionals left significant gaps in several core skill and knowledge areas which are remarkably consistent across industry sectors. These findings can be used to inform curriculum development and the exploration of new archaeology teaching and learning models that are more attuned to the contemporary Australian archaeological workplace.