HLF bursary scheme 2012-2014

Heritage Lottery Funding for the IfA’s Workplace Learning Bursaries scheme has been extended to 2014. This will allow us to offer between 16 and 20 placements over the next two years.

What are Workplace Learning Bursaries?

• Between 8 and 10 Heritage Lottery Funded-bursaries have been available every year for the past 6 years across the UK

• Through Workplace Learning Bursaries, IfA aims to address identified archaeological skills gaps, and create opportunities for all sectors of the community to gain professional skills in archaeology

What are the benefits?

• Successful candidates have been able to undertake industry recognised workplace training built around the National Occupational Standards in Archaeological Practice, lasting between 6 and 12 months

• Achievements recorded over the course of the placement may count towards a vocational Qualification in Archaeological Practice

• Previous placement holders have found employment across the sector where their skills have been highly valued by employers.

You can download a report evaluating the achievements of the first six years of the scheme here.

Workplace learning bursaries 2012-14

IfA is currently seeking hosts to provide placements starting in September/October 2012. An application form and guidance for prospective hosts can be downloaded below. Our training priorities for the next year are

1. Specialist skills focussed on the recording and analysis of historic buildings, artefact and ecofact research and analysis and palaeoenvironmental processing/analysis

2. Generalist skills in the management of the historic environment, in particular the skills needed to provide integrated advice to local planning authorities

3. Skills needed to meet the recommendations of the Southport report, focussing on ensuring maximum public benefit from developer funded historic environment work; creating, promoting and using accessible archives, ensuring maximum research input into and benefit from developer funded work and ensuring archaeologists have the skills necessary to work effectively in integrated multi disciplinary teams

4. Career entry fieldwork skills

IfA will work closely with successful hosts to develop detailed training plans linked to National Occupational Standards and will provide support and training for the key support roles involved in the placement. IfA will fund between 50% and 75% of salary costs for placements in the majority of cases; in exceptional cases we may be able to meet 100% of salary costs but prospective hosts will need to make a strong case demonstrating need. We would particularly encourage prospective hosts who are sole traders offering specialists skills training to contact us to explore funding mechanisms. We are also looking for placement hosts who can fund 100% of salary costs but who need support with the development of training plans, with the recruitment process and with monitoring and accreditation through the NVQ.

If you are interested in hosting a placement please have a look at our guidance notes and application form.

For further information and supporting resources, have a look at our Training Toolkit.

If you have any questions please contact Andrea Bradley at andrea.bradley@archaeologists.net.