The ECA Community is not about age but status. Basically, we consider ECAs to be professionals who have not yet held a position of responsibility or authority within their institution, often marked by tenure. The European Research Council considers ‘starting’ researchers to be within 7 years of their PhD. But this definition only applies to the academic sector. The commercial and heritage sectors have different accreditation systems and career milestones. Even within academia, it is uncommon for archaeologists to hold a permanent job at PhD+7. Transitioning away from fixed-term contracts can be a massive headache. The ECA Community stands to help all those who plan to stay in archaeology long-term. If you feel like you have been discriminated at work and/or finding a post-doctoral position/job because of your age, we’d like to hear from you.