• January 9, 2026 | 8:00 AM - 10:30 AM
• Continental 7, Ballroom Level

4D: Beyond the Academy: AIA Career Training Initiative (AIA-CaTI) for Archaeology students (Workshop)

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Sponsored by:
AIA Committee on Research and Academic Affairs

Organizers:
James Newhard, College of Charleston and Joanne Murphy, University of North Carolina-Greensboro

Panelists:
Carrier Galsworthy, Conestoga College, Catherine Foster,  Argus Cultural Property Consultants, Steve Karacic, Chronicle Heritage, Inc.. Jen Thum, Harvard Art Museums, and Rachel Dewan, Skagway Public Library, U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield

Overview Statement:
Preparing the next generation of archaeologists falls within the professional duties of academics. Unfortunately, university professors are not explicitly trained in articulating the transferability of skill sets into nonacademic settings nor the compatibility degrees with the variety of career options. The importance of career placement has risen in importance as institutions increasingly place priority on alumni success and employment, broadly defined. Students interested in career options after graduation and the declining demand in academia for tenure-track jobs place additional importance on our roles as guides who can adequately advise on various pathways for students studying archaeology and its cognate fields outside the traditional roles of tenured professors.

This workshop brings together an array of individuals from the educational, public, and private sectors. The workshop will focus on delineating the key facets of an archaeologist’s educational training, how it maps onto career options, and how to develop strategies for guiding students to prepare for several of those pathways. Each panel member will address the career landscape for archaeology students from their perspective (five minutes each). Their presentations will include the need in their field for archaeology students, expected starting salary ranges, and career trajectories in their field. They will also describe the skills and aptitudes that students would need to secure employment in their field. After all members of the panel have presented, there will be time for a short question-and-answer session (20 minutes). This will be followed by a structured discussion that will help attendees create a plan that they can share with their colleagues to help advise their students better as they approach the workforce. We will divide the discussion period into large and small group discussions. This will allow each attendee to have ample opportunity to address their particular needs and issues and create a plan of action that is unique to their institutional situation. This workshop will benefit faculty who are guiding and advising undergraduate and graduate students and for students of all levels who are interested in working in nonacademic careers.