Industrial archaeologists discover, understand and preserve artifacts related to industry and manufacturing. They require a passion for the past and at least four years of higher education. They must also be prepared to learn new technologies and skills throughout their career. Duties include research, fieldwork, and maintaining regular office hours. There are potential health risks, but it is a relatively safe field with job security and growth.
Archaeologists discover items from the past and attempt to place them in the proper social context as well as preserve them. Industrial archaeologists work in a specialized capacity to discover, understand and preserve artifacts related to industry and manufacturing. Factories, factories, mining operations, commercial ships and harbors are just a few of the locations that industrial archaeologists work with. To become an industrial archaeologist, you must have a passion for the past and the proper training and credentials to work in the field.
Becoming an industrial archaeologist starts with training. Like other social scientists, industrial archaeologists must complete at least four years of higher education to obtain work within the field. Industrial archaeologist training is based on history and science. In many cases, a graduate degree, such as a doctorate, is required to become an industrial archaeologist.
Education doesn’t stop when you become an industrial archaeologist. New technologies are always emerging and being used in the field. New ways of mapping sites, cataloging artifacts, and examining data are continually being developed. While learning new technologies is not one of the basic requirements of an industrial archaeologist, you may need to learn new skills with every job or assignment you undertake.
Industrial archaeologist duties vary little from job to job. An industrial archaeologist working with a private company performs similar tasks to an archaeologist working with the government. Research is one of the main duties of an industrial archaeologist: gathering facts and history about a historic site before actually visiting or excavating it. Fieldwork takes place after the survey and can be physically demanding, depending on the location and availability of artifacts. Most industrial archaeologists maintain regular office hours, although extra time is often needed in the later stages of a project.
Industrial sites in the past did not utilize the same safety and health standards that modern industrial sites are required to adhere to. Industrial archaeologists may be exposed to hazardous materials or unsafe buildings as a result of this difference in safety standards. Proper research prior to excavating a site limits safety risks for industrial archaeologists and their teams, but sometimes unexpected situations occur. Despite the rigorous training demands and potential health risks of a career in industrial archaeology, it is a relatively safe field with job security and growth. A person looking to become an industrial archaeologist will be able to find work as the world continues to develop and landscapes continue to change.
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