Mapping our support: A collaborative project for all Edinburgh technicians
University of Edinburgh, Queen Margaret University, Heriot Watt University
Led by Nicola Cuthbert and Joanna Fairweather
Funding from the Technician Commitment will allow the University of Edinburgh and partners to share knowledge collaboratively, increasing career development opportunities for technicians.
The project, led by the University of Edinburgh, aims to create a sense of community, improve networking and career support for technicians through training, mentoring and shadowing opportunities.
Technicians are recognised as playing a crucial role in research, teaching and supporting students but can be overlooked when it comes to recognition and career development.
The project aims to highlight the breadth of support available to technicians at their institutions, improve knowledge on the different career options available and develop awareness of the opportunities for development across Edinburgh Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
The collaboration between the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University and Queen Margaret University, will form a working group to identify and establish greater career development opportunities in the city.
The project will:
Identify what support is available to technical staff within and across each HEI, including identifying online resources and training opportunities that can be shared between the institutions;
Work together to create job shadowing and mentoring opportunities allowing technicians to gain further insights into various career paths and opportunities available across Edinburgh;
And identify the development needs of technicians and their managers, using findings from the National Survey of Technical Staff run by Research England to inform the future needs of technical talent in Edinburgh.
Information about the project as it develops will be made available on the University of Edinburgh’s dedicated technicians site: www.ed.ac.uk/technicians
GW4WARD Technician Showcase Project
GW4 Alliance (University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University, and University of Exeter)
Led by Emily Pitt
The GW4 Alliance comprises the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter, employing approximately 1300 technical staff in total.
The crucial role of technicians within Higher Education Institutions has never been clearer than during the Covid-19 pandemic, and GW4 aims to highlight and showcase the incredible work of its technicians through this Technician Commitment funded project.
GW4WARD aims to drive forward the professional development of technical staff across the Alliance, by offering a number of opportunities for development, including: travel bursaries, webinars, support for professional registration, and more.
The GW4WARD technician showcase is a collaborative project across the GW4 Alliance, aiming to highlight the role of technicians within the four universities, showcasing the breadth of different technical roles and their pivotal position in teaching and research activities.
The project will culminate in a series of videos published on the GW4 channels and social media and seeks to shine a spotlight on the crucial contribution of technicians including during the pandemic, and those who have been onsite throughout the national lockdowns.
Find out more about the GW4 Alliance and the GW4WARD programmes.
Research Institute Technician Symposium 2021
Research Institute Technician Group (RITG)
Led by Clare Stevenson
The Research Institute Technician Group (RITG), established in 2017, represents technicians working across nine Technician Commitment signatory institutes, raising the visibility of the roles and career structures of technicians at research institutes within the UK.
The inaugural Research Institute Technician Symposium 2019 was held at The Francis Crick Institute and attracted 120 technical staff from across the RITG network. It provided networking opportunities for technical staff, career talks from technicians, and inspiring keynote talks from technician career champions.
Supported by the Technician Commitment Collaboration Fund, RITS2021 is set to take place in November 2021 at MRC Harwell with the theme ‘Taking Control of Your Career’. The flagship event of RITS2021 will be the launch of the Research Institute Technician Awards, including a range of categories to recognise and celebrate technical staff.
The event aims to raise awareness of possibilities, highlighting careers and workshops including confidence building, setting goals and stepping outside your comfort zone. The day is expected to be a mix of formal talks, workshops and networking opportunities.
Follow the RITG on Twitter here, and subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.
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