As the country invests in large infrastructure schemes to grow our road and railway networks, the demand for professional archaeologists to investigate the sites before they are developed, also grows. In common with construction and engineering, archaeology is an industry that needs to recruit and train the next generation of skilled professionals.

As well as continuing to reach out to more traditionally qualified graduate specialists, we recruited 10 people up for a challenge, with a passion for the past…no matter what the weather!

A two week course gave the prospective trainees an understanding of the role of an archaeologist and an opportunity to see what a career in archaeology could be like for them.

All participants gained their Construction Skills Certification Scheme cards, which demonstrates that they have the knowledge to safely work on construction sites in the UK.

Seven enthusiastic trainees, continued successfully into the 3 month paid traineeship after interviews and skills tests and are now taking part in one of the biggest excavation projects in the UK, the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme.

Our trainees come from a wide variety of educational and work backgrounds. It is not often you can call on the combined and varied skills of a paramedic, a scaffolder, a geologist, an artist, a charity volunteer, and a property manager!

Practical training on site is being delivered by teams of dedicated trainers and supervisors, with the help of the archaeologists on site. Archaeological investigation is a one-time, irreversible process so it is helping the group to maximise the amount of information they record for further study, and is supporting their continuing development as trainees.

Join us on our journey
• @A14C2H #A14Archaeology
• www.facebook.com/A14C2H/ #A14Archaeology
• Come to one of our community archaeology events
• Find out more about the A14C2H improvement scheme here

The archaeological programme for the Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme is being carried out by A14 Integrated Delivery Team on behalf of Highways England.