Supporting your professional growth 

At Oxford Archaeology, we believe in investing in our greatest asset - our people. That's why we offer a variety of training and development opportunities to help you reach your full potential. From fieldwork training pathways and specialist training to mentorship opportunities, you can take charge of your professional growth and pave the way to a successful future. 

People come to work for us because they are extremely passionate about archaeology. I want to continue nurturing that passion at Oxford Archaeology by cultivating a strong learning culture, where knowledge exchange is proactively supported and staff feel empowered to drive their own professional development. I want staff at all levels to have access to the tools they need to thrive and grow with us.” 

Lizzie Kendall, Learning and Development Officer

From formal training courses to those small everyday opportunities for on-the-job learning, we are continually looking at ways to increase opportunities for our staff to develop skills and build experience throughout their career journey. It’s also important to us that staff take the lead on shaping our training objectives. Every year, we consult staff on what training they feel they need which directly contributes to the training plan for the department they work in. 

As a team member of Oxford Archaeology, you get access to a wide variety of learning opportunities, including internal work placements, specialist training schemes, secondments to partnering organisations, internal job openings, and much more. Our brilliant Training Teams are also busy developing new opportunities, and we have a lot of exciting future projects in the works, including a Project Management training programme and social media training.

Here are just some of the training initiatives on offer at OA.

Specialist Training Scheme

Over the last 50 years we have been at the forefront of research and knowledge within commercial archaeology and we want to add to that legacy by training the next generation of specialists. We have an established Specialist Training Scheme which does just that, connecting trainees with our in-house experts to help them develop skills in subject areas such as lithics, isotopes, worked wood and pottery of various periods.

Image showing one of OA's flint specialists analysing flint tools.

Fieldwork Training Pathways

Whether you are looking for a career change, have just finished studying or already have some fieldwork experience, our Fieldwork Training Pathways can support you on your career journey in commercial archaeology. The Pathways provide the tools you need to become highly skilled, confident and empowered fieldwork archaeologists at all levels, from Graduate Trainee to Project Officer.

Archaeologists excavate the Roman road

Mental Health First Aid

We understand that a healthy organisation requires engaged and supported staff. We are always looking at ways to improve the wellbeing of staff at OA, and we have teamed up with Mental Health First Aid England to train some of our staff members in how to provide a safe space and first level support for peers that might be experiencing poor mental health. 

Image portraying a team of archaeologists completely soaked, on a very misty and wet site but all smiling together.