Hi! My name is Tabitha (Tabby) and I currently work as a field archaeologist in the east of England. I’ve worked in commercial for 11 months, and before that I was a student at Bournemouth University.

Ever since I studied archaeology at university I knew I wanted a job in the heritage sector, ideally in museums. But, as I’m sure lots of museum volunteers will know, it's a pretty competitive sector to get a job in. Then COVID hit and I had to finish my degree in lockdown and quickly get a plan together. So, I decided I’d give commercial archaeology a try.

I got a trainee job working for Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd(link is external) before I’d officially graduated and before I really knew it I had to move from Bournemouth up to Cambridgeshire.

I thought I’d summarise my experiences of commercial fieldwork into eight points of the highs and lows. Commercial archaeology isn’t really like research archaeology. Often the pace, tools, and structure are different to those found in research digs. My WHS trowel was very quickly replaced by a mattock and shovel when I joined a commercial unit.

The pace is faster within commercial due to deadlines and the planning process itself. However, despite this you learn incredibly quickly. Probably far quicker than you’ll give yourself credit for.

The archaeology can be polar opposites. Some sites are multiperiod landscapes with a range of features from burials to structures. Other sites will have absolutely no discernable archaeology. Some sites will be relatively modern, and others will go back thousands and thousands of years.

The people within commercial are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Archaeologists are (on the whole) lovely people and nothing demonstrates that more than commercial. 

It’s a wake up call both physically and mentally. Commercial archaeologists work all year and in all weathers rain or shine. You’ll probably get a huge shock to the system when you first start out. But it’s an expected consequence and you’ll adjust as you progress.

One of the best things about commercial fieldwork is being outside. You get to experience the outdoors, different landscapes, and nature. It sounds soppy but it’s very good for the soul.

Issues can arise within commercial sites varying from welfare to training to management. However, many units recognise Prospect, the main archaeologists union, and the situation is changing as more archaeologists are needed within the sector.

With rain, nice people, and thousands of years of human history, the atmosphere within commercial can sometimes seem like a sitcom. It’s a mix of cultures, experiences, ethnicities, and personalities - but that makes it one of the most rewarding jobs a heritage graduate can do.

So, if you feel like this might be the job for you, make some phone calls and emails and look at the BAJR website (http://www.bajr.org). This could be the start of an amazing archaeological career!