MSDS Marine are committed to providing hands on and practical learning opportunities in the sector for students, volunteers and early career professionals. We recognise the importance of developing the skills of the future generations of maritime archaeologists and engaging and enthusing the public with the work we do in order to generate interest and understanding around maritime archaeology.
Training
MSDS Marine provide training to a range of people and groups such as amateur archaeologists, students and early career professionals. Training can take the form of structured courses, lectures and presentations, practical hands-on experience during projects or work experience placements and internships. We regularly provide bespoke training solutions for University audiences.
MSDS Marine recognise the importance of investing in the future generations of maritime archaeologists and enthusing young people about the industry in order that our profession will continue to grow and develop. MSDS Marine are currently in the process of becoming an International Training Partner of the Nautical Archaeology Society so that we can broaden our reach with structured training programs for the public, amateur archaeologists and professionals.
You can find out more about our current high-quality training available for the sector, including our popular offshore development control and marine consents workshop and our new marine heritage crime training here.
In February 2021 MSDS Marine signed a MoU with the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS). The NAS are a very well established and respected charity who are well known in both the sector (worldwide) and the recreational diving community. Their standing in the community is excellent and they are a very well-respected organisation and the ‘go-to’ place for avocational marine archaeological training. The MoU brings together the diverse skills of the two organisations to ensure that we can maximise the benefit of our work by increasing public value, and promoting good practice through innovation and skills development.
Students
MSDS Marine regularly provide work experience placement students for students in full or part time education. Normally placements last up to two weeks and will give students the opportunity to gain an overview across all areas of our work including offshore development and renewables, fieldwork and public engagement. Placements can be tailored to suit the interests of the participant. To find out more about arranging a placement please contact us at info@msdsmarine.co.uk.
Volunteers
Many of the shipwreck sites that MSDS Marine have undertaken projects on have been discovered, or investigated, by enthusiastic and knowledgeable groups of divers and amateur archaeologists, on designated wreck sites members of these groups are often licensees under the Protection of Wrecks Act licensing system. MSDS Marine firmly believe that involvement of these groups in projects is critical to the overall understanding of a site and endeavour to promote inclusion where ever possible. Inclusion can be in a number of ways; on recent projects we have funded divers to undertake qualifications to allow them to dive as part of the professional team, provided a platform from which they can dive to continue monitoring and recording, run practical courses on specific skills needed to work alongside the archaeologists, including the use of airlifts and other excavation techniques, and provided practical experience in most areas of archaeological projects including geophysical and hydrographic survey.
MSDS Marine endeavours to provide volunteer opportunities during our projects where new skills can be learnt or existing skills developed, these opportunities can be for members of the public, early career professionals or maritime archaeologists looking to broaden their experience. Volunteering at MSDS Marine will give you the opportunity to work alongside our archaeology professionals and learn new skills in a supportive, friendly environment.
