Victoria Reeve

"When most people think of archaeology they imagine big research excavations looking for things like Roman villas, Iron Age roundhouses and Medieval castles but the reality is quite different! Most archaeological work is actually undertaken in advance of development so for Thames Water this means that we need to consider archaeology before we start laying any new pipes or extending our treatment works. This is where my communication skills come in handy as a big part of my role involves ensuring everyone involved in projects understands the risks to archaeology and what we need to do to manage them. Being able to communicate complex ideas to non-specialists is essential in this job! I also use these skills to share Thames Water's amazing heritage as a business with our employees and customers. We have some incredible historic buildings and an amazing story to tell about the history of the water industry in England."

"In addition to the responsibilities described above, I also look after all our old documents and photos which is a real privilege. Some of our plans and ledgers are over 150 years old! The best thing about this role is being able to share my passion for archaeology with others and being part of a friendly, dedicated team who are great to work with. The starting salary for an archaeology job can be lower than other industries but it tends to be something people do because they love it, rather than to earn a big salary. That being said there are great career development opportunities for those looking to reach the top!"

"I have worked in a range of roles, both within the archaeology industry and outside. Working in commercial archaeology can be tough but there is no better place to learn practical archaeology skills. I was really lucky to be able to focus on environmental archaeology which is more scientific and aligns best with my interests. Working outside of archaeology enabled me to gain some important transferable skills and to learn more about how large businesses operate. It also helped develop my confidence in communicating with people from all sorts of different teams, something which is a key part of my current role. Most of these roles were science based (laboratory analyst, quality scientist etc) which built really well on the analytical and research skills I gained through studying archaeological science and geoarchaeology at uni."

"I have always been a bookworm and love reading in my spare time, especially books about archaeology and history. I'm also a guide leader which is really fun and gives me the chance to meet loads of amazing people and try lots of new activities. "

"No two days are the same here! Some days are more computer based; sending emails, attending meetings, updating databases etc. On other days I could be visiting archaeological excavations, giving talks, meeting with stakeholders, helping show visitors around our historic buildings or cataloguing old documents. I'm particularly passionate about old photos and am working on a project to share even more images on our online photo archive. "

"I've studied archaeology at various levels from A Level, through degree level (BSc and Msc), ending up with a PhD. I've always focused on the scientific aspects of archaeology as I really enjoyed science at school and enjoy the analytical side of archaeological research (reconstructing past environments, finding out what materials things are made from, analysing soils etc). I wouldn't say a PhD is essential in this field but it was a brilliant opportunity to research my chosen subject in detail and to pick up some key transferable skills like report writing, researching and public speaking."