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Draft:Technician Commitment

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Technician Commitment

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The Technician Commitment is a sector-wide initiative improving the visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability of technical staff in higher education and research. Spearheaded by Dr Kelly Vere MBE, the initiative launched in 2017 with support from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and Science Council[1]. The commitment encourages institutions to take meaningful actions to support and invest in their technical workforce, providing a foundation for the development of technical careers in universities and research organisations. It has been hosted by the UK Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy since August 2023[2].

Background

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The Technician Commitment emerged as a grassroots response to concerns about the under-representation and under-recognition of technical staff within academic and research institutions. Recognising the technical workforce as essential to research and innovation[3], there was a need for a coordinated approach to addressing skills gaps and continuous reskilling of the technical workforce at all levels.

The initiative draws attention to the importance of technical professionals in supporting and delivering research and teaching critical to UK higher education and research institutes. It was recognised that their vital contributions were often overlooked or undervalued, leading to issues such as unclear career progression, a lack of professional development opportunities, and the need for more targeted recruitment practices[4].

Goals and Objectives

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The Technician Commitment addresses 4 challenges facing the UK technical community:

1. Visibility: Ensure all technicians within the organisation are identifiable and that their contribution is visible within and beyond the institution

2. Recognition: Support technical professionals to gain recognition through professional registration and external rewards schemes

3. Career Development: Enable career progression opportunities through the provision of clear, documented technical career pathways

4. Sustainability: Ensure the future sustainability of technical skills across the organisation and that technical expertise is fully utilised

Signatories and Supporters

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To meet the goals of the Technician Commitment, institutions join as signatories, pledging to create and implement a publicly accessible action plan within 12-18 months of signing. These action plans are submitted to Technician Commitment and are assessed by a peer review panel who return a formal feedback letter to the signatory soon after. The action plan and self-assessment submission then repeats on a three-year rolling cycle, ensuring action plans are reviewed and refreshed to the institution’s evolving needs.

As of March 2025, over 130 universities and research institutions in the UK and abroad have signed the Technician Commitment, committing to tangible actions in support of their technical workforce. The initiative welcomed its first international signatory, The University of Sydney, in February 2023[5].

Supporters of the Technician Commitment are organisations that engage with and support the technical community in higher education and research. Examples may include professional bodies, funding organisations, learned societies, professional networks and others.

Recognition and Impact

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The Technician Commitment has garnered widespread acceptance within higher education and research sectors. It is widely regarded as a catalyst for change in terms of the visibility and recognition of technicians[6].

Additionally, the initiative aligns with broader national and international efforts to address the skills gap and to ensure that skilled technical professionals are equipped to meet the growing demands of research and innovation[3].

The Technician Commitment is also a regular sponsor for the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards’ ‘Outstanding Technician of the Year’, recognising an individual whose exceptional practical skills, commitment and vision have enabled the highest quality teaching, research or knowledge transfer[7]. Sponsoring the award allowed technical professionals be recognised on a national stage, amongst peers in the higher education sector. Supporters of the Technician Commitment have also established their own speciality awards, including:

  • Technical Support in Psychological Research Award, The British Psychological Society[8]
  • Jean Venables Medal, Institution of Civil Engineers[9]
  • Apprentice and Technician Awards, Institution of Engineering and Technology[10]
  • Technician Award, Institute of Physics[11]
  • Higher Education Technical Excellence Award, Royal Society of Chemistry[12]
  • Papin Prizes, The UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy[13]

Midlands Innovation TALENT Programme and The UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy

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The five-year Research England funded TALENT Programme was spearheaded by the eight Midlands Innovation universities from March 2020. The TALENT Commission report was published in February 2022, providing a blueprint for the future of technical skills, roles and careers. It included 16 targeted recommendations for employers, funders, UK Government, policymakers, professional bodies/learned societies and the technical community[4]. With endorsements by several higher education consortia, the TALENT Commission offered a clear, evidence-based strategy for organisations to collaborate in support of technical recruitment, retention and upskilling[14].

In response to recommendation 16 of the Commission report, a call to build on the Technician Commitment’s multi-stakeholder approach, The UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy (UK ITSS) was established in August 2023, funded by Research England[15]. It now acts as the formal host for the Technician Commitment.

UK ITSS is the national body advocating for technical skills, roles and careers in higher education and research.

Its Learning and Development Academy offers pioneering development opportunities, such as the Herschel Programme for Women in Technical Leadership[16] and the Executive Programme in Strategic Technical Leadership[17].

Knowledge Exchange Placements and specialist technical equipment sharing are offered through The Community and Practice Hub. UK ITSS is helping more universities and research institutes host T Level industry placements and refine technical career pathways through its Education and Career Pathways Lab.

The Research and Policy Group advances knowledge and shapes policy, related to technical skills, roles and careers[18].

Upon the close of the TALENT Programme in February 2025, the Institute continues to build on the legacy of the TALENT Programme to ensure the long-term sustainability of technical skills and careers[19].

References

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  1. ^ Council, Science (2017-05-31). "Science Council launches Technician Commitment". The Science Council ~. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  2. ^ "News - New £5.5m national Institute of Technical Skills and Strategy to support UK's bid to be a global research and innovation superpower - University of Nottingham". www.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  3. ^ a b "UK Research and Development Roadmap". GOV.UK. 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  4. ^ a b "The TALENT Commission Report". UK ITSS. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  5. ^ "University of Sydney becomes first international Technician Commitment signatory". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  6. ^ Post, HEPI Guest (2022-03-30). "Using Collaboration as a Catalyst for Change in the Research Ecosystem". HEPI. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  7. ^ THE. "THE Awards 2025". the-awards.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  8. ^ "Technical Support in Psychological Research Award". The British Psychological Society.
  9. ^ "Awards & Competitions – Recognising Civil Engineering Talent". Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). 2025-04-30. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  10. ^ www.theiet.org https://www.theiet.org/impact-society/awards-prizes-and-scholarships/achievement-awards/apprentice-and-technician-awards. Retrieved 2025-04-30. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ "Technician Award | Institute of Physics". www.iop.org. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  12. ^ "Higher Education Technical Excellence Award". Royal Society of Chemistry. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  13. ^ "Papin Prizes". UK ITSS. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  14. ^ NCUB (2022-08-01). "Empowering innovation through collaboration". National Centre for Universities & Business. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  15. ^ "About Us". UK ITSS. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  16. ^ "Herschel Programme for Women in Technical Leadership". UK ITSS. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  17. ^ "The Executive Programme in Strategic Technical Leadership - Nottingham University Business School". www.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  18. ^ "Engineering biology - Written evidence - Committees - UK Parliament". committees.parliament.uk. 2024-09-03. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
  19. ^ "TALENT Programme Legacy Resources". UK ITSS. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
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