Steve,
 
After reading all the responses so far, I feel compelled to add my two cents
worth.  I own a small environmental planning firm in California and the
cultural work is about 65% of my total business.  Since we do a lot of work
that falls under federal review, I HAVE to hire people with a minimum of a
BA/BS.  That is the federal standard.  On private jobs I can use anyone I
want.  I don't think this requirement is going to go away; if anything the
SEc. of Interior standards are becoming stricter in some regards (e.g., at
some levels the standards require an MA and a person with a BA and many years
of experience doesn't qualify).  Anyway, that is one restriction as a private
employer that I have to consider in hiring.
 
As far as what I look for when hiring and what I expect.  Many of the recent
college graduates that I have interviewed lately seem to be well grounded in
theory and method but are woefully lacking in basic skills such as reading a
USGS topographic map (a must out here), figuring out UTM's, mapping a site
using a compass (let alone a transit), filling out a site record, and basic
surveying skills.  I expect to train new people, but I also expect at least a
rudimentary understanding of something besides how to dig a straight sidewall
and expose a feature.
 
Mary Maniery