Over the past five years, AWA has partnered with cultural resource management (CRM) companies, local Tribes, agencies, and universities across Washington State to offer free training for individuals interested in pursuing careers as archaeological technicians. AWA is excited to announce we plan to continue the Technician Training Program in 2026. We hope to have information about the 2026 Technician Training Program up on the new AWA website just prior to or shortly after NWACs.
In the meantime, the AWA Diversity Committee wants to congratulate our 2026 Technician Training Program Coordinator, Laura Johnson! Laura graduated in 2023 with a BA in Anthropology and Journalism and has been working at CRM firms in western WA since completing her field school in Nebraska. In addition to archaeology, Laura has experience with editing, public broadcasting, restoration planting, and even podcasting. Thank you Laura for your proposal and we look forward to hearing more about the 2026 Program from you in April!
Laura’s first task as AWA Technician Training Program Coordinator will be to solicit volunteers to host free training sessions between May and August this year. These trainings provide students, Tribal members, early career professionals, and those seeking accessible continuing education the opportunity to develop or enhance their professional skills. As you meet with friends, colleagues, and other archaeologists in Bellingham, please think about how you can support the AWA Technician Training Program this summer.
What types of trainings might you be willing to give? Check out the list of past topics below for inspiration.
Please reach out to Laura at awafieldtraining@gmail.com if you want to volunteer a training session this year. Thanks!
Past training topics have included:
- Pacific Northwest culture history
- Soil and sediment description
- Shovel probes and test units
- Data recovery strategies
- Monitoring techniques
- Remote sensing
- Soil Screening with Artifact Identification
- Artifact and faunal identification
- Practical Tips for Recognizing Human Remains VS Faunal in the Field
- Historical artifact review
- Section, Township, and Range - Online Tips to Unlock Land Use Histories of Your Project's APE
- Field Safety
Please note: While these trainings can and should be listed on a resume as field experience, they do not substitute for the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for accredited field schools unless explicitly stated in the training description.
Sincerely,
AWA DC
