I can’t believe I only have a week left of my program. Leaving soon has made me reflect on leaving the program last year and what knowledge I walked away with. Although I thought I learned so much last summer, in the past six weeks I have only mastered and experienced so much more participating in this excavation again. I raved to many people that I was learning valuable skills in a very unconventional environment. The training, information and cultural sensitivity I am mastering will assist me in my future career in global management. I feel I have learned more soft skills than hard skills this summer, especially with my position as an Assistant Trench Supervisor.

This summer, I have continued to develop teamwork, leadership, adaptability, attention to detail and management overall, just to name a few. The program really focuses on bonds between students. We all live in the same vicinity and work together; however the directors make sure we do not live with other members of our trench groups. As an assistant I stay in the same trench, with the same supervisor, so I work closely with a PhD candidate. The student groups of 3-5 rotate every two weeks. Each group I have had in the trench, required a different teamwork and leadership style. Some groups were more motivated working on tasks alone and some needed more instruction. I helped my supervisor allocate tasks and gage time to complete certain steps of the excavation process. Attention to detail is the most important skill I have continued to develop. It is essential to archeology to pay attention to all the small bits of information whether it is soil changes or writing special finds numbers on labels.

Other capabilities I have learned like using digging software, taking GNSS points, filling context sheets and completing intake forms are considered hard skills. The digging software and GNSS system, which stands for Global Navigation Satellite System, requires precise information logging and recording. Context sheets and intake forms are typical for every excavation, but the task of completing paperwork helps with consistency and accuracy. The information must me accurate for the registrar to process and document findings. Taking thorough field notes and pictures are other skills I use to assist my supervisor with his weekly reports. While the hard skills I have learned are not directly associated with my studies in global management, I believe the discipline used to develop them will aid me in learning new technical skills in the future.