1. Professional Registration Scheme Ian Moulson FIScT RSci Faculty of Engineering Sheffield University

2. The changing role of technicians Why is the role changing? What is it changing to?

3. Our universities 1.28 Similarly, the UK has a relatively strong higher education sector even though other countries continue to make ambitious investments. We have four of the six best universities in the world 17. Despite this, skills gaps are too wide at the intermediate and basic levels, including in maths, literacy and science. UK industry also appears to be relatively less skills intensive and employs fewer graduates in professional and technical occupations than its major competitors 18. No boom in growth can be achieved without a significant rethink as to how we develop skills in this country – both funding training and its delivery Why is the role changing?

4. “It’s high time that the professionalism of technicians was recognised and they got the status which they deserve. For the good of our economy and our society, we must ensure that their competence and commitment are properly valued, and that they have every opportunity for high quality technical education and personal development.” Richard Shearman, Technician Council Why is the role changing? “We must promote the professional standing of technicians, raise their profile and encourage businesses to nurture our home grown talent if we are to ensure we have the skills we need to compete in the high-tech, high- skilled economy of the future.” Skills MinisterJohn Hayes

5. Why is the role changing? “Establishing a common framework of registration for technicians working across the stem sectors presents a unique opportunity to establish common quality standards for UK technicians and ensure the skills and knowledge learnt within technician pathways develop in line with employers’ needs. Over time the registers will raise the status and profile of technicians and this, in turn, should drive improvements in technician training and support increased recruitment. This initiative, Therefore, has the potential to make a major contribution to solving what for many years has been a major problem.” Lord David Sainsbury “Professional technicians are the core of the IT industry and I have always wanted to see them fully recognised for the important role that they perform.” Stephen Uden, Head of Skills & Economic Affairs at Microsoft

6. What is it changing to? The Technician Council developed a set of eight recommendations 1.Endorse and promote Professional Technician 2.Support registration and professional development and announce own aspirational targets 3.Active support for professional technicians 4.Improve communications on career choices 5.Raise the profile of professional technician in Government communications to the young 6.Use the professional technician brand 7.Promote greater diversity 8.Sustain the work of the Technician Council “Often neglected by policymakers and left on the educational side-lines, technicians are the unsung heroes of some of the UK’s leading industries. For too long they have been undervalued, undernourished, and relegated to an occupational division considered less important than their professional counterparts.” Alison Halstead (Chair) Technicians and Progression 2011, Skills Commission report

7. In short, professional technicians : 1.Are essential to delivering growth in the UK in the 21st Century 2.Help plug identified skills gaps and shortages 3.Provide a unique, transferable and increasingly sought after skill set 4.Follow a clear, complementary career pathway to the university graduate, which combines education and on the job training and still offers a gateway to the highest levels.

8. The changing landscape and the need to demonstrate competence The Registration System and the need for engagement Why HE Institutions need a highly skilled, highly motivated, highly respected workforce - the 2022 vision. Providing high quality training and development. All bodies and training course providers to work in full partnership for the benefit of the technical community. The national perspective for sustaining the UK's position for delivering teaching and research in a rapidly changing environment THE PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIAN

10. The case for professional technician The higher technical skills gap that has been identified is 450,000 new job opportunities in science, engineering and technology (SET) by 2020. This creates an urgent need to recognise and celebrate our technicians of today, whilst growing and strengthening those of tomorrow. They are highly productive people, technically qualified to a minimum of Level 3, committed to continuous professional development and found in just about every area and walk of life.

11. The attributes of the professional technician are clearly distinguishable: They develop valuable skills through their careers, many of which are transferable across employment sectors They take pride in their work and take continuous professional development seriously They have interesting, rewarding and worthwhile careers offering a gateway to the highest levels of education and training They are diverse individuals coming from a range of backgrounds They are proud to be recognised as professional technicians through a national registration process and common brand.

12. Professional Technician A combination of professional membership and registration Defined standards for entry Defined qualifications and Competence gained in work Defined codes of ethical conduct Requirements for on-going CPD

13. Why is it relevant to you Because HEIs are changing the way they work and this impacts on you. Wakeham Report (June 2010) Browne Report (September 2010) Diamond Report (September 2011)

14. 14 So Why should Technicians Engage?

15. HE technical support So what’s the current position ?

16. Higher education workforce profile in 2011 Key facts: 314,860 people in England are employed in Higher education institutions (HEIs) 145,000 academic (46%) 160,000 professional/support (51%) 9,600 have combined (academic + administrative) an upward trend (3%) 21,320 technicians (13% of all professional/support staff)

18. Technician numbers 2003-2010

19. Age profile of technical staff

20. Technical staff: current profile Some reductions in staff numbers in 2010-11 from peak in 2008-9 Limited knowledge about background, but main routes into career: Previous technical careers 48% are qualified to degree or doctoral level Vocationally trained technicians from HE or other educational settings Diverse in terms of age, disability and ethnicity but… Only one third of technicians in HE are female Stable age profile, 7% (rising) of technicians are aged over 60

21. Strategic issues for HE Technicians Greater involvement with learner support – how best to support technicians to do this? How best to engage technical community in professional development? How to raise the profile and esteem of the technical profession? Gender diversity?

22. The danger of not understanding technical roles Eg. when undertaking major reorganisation/restructuring IS THIS JUST A “BLACK ART”?

23. Technician qualifications

24. Supporting the student experience Technicians crucial to the student experience Increased student fees More skills teaching

25. The student experience

26. So what does this mean for technicians? General diversification of activities undertaken by academic and professional/support staff Greater alignment of academic working styles to meet student demands and needs Greater focus on interdisciplinary work A more strategic approach to professional/support staff work Greater flexibility and higher skills levels Movement of technicians into front-line teaching and research roles Cost reduction – potential redundancies/closure of Departments Shared Services across Institutions and Public Bodies

27. THE UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIAN

28. Professional pathways QCF level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship A-Level, NVQ3 QCF level 5 HND, FdSc, some Higher Apprenticeships QCF level 7 MSc, MSci, etc CPD standards, code of conduct and competency areas are all common across the registers RSciTech Registered Science Technician RSci Registered Scientist CSci Chartered Scientist

29. What is registration?

30. Registration Application Process Membership of a licensed body (such as the IST) Then:- Application form CV A Competencies Report A PPD Report Indicative Cost Membership of IST: Junior: £5 Affiliate: £16 Associate: £32 Member: £42 Fellow: £54 £25 for Registration (Science Council National data base costs)

31. Not Working in Science or Science Technology? IST Registered Practitioners MIScT(Reg) or FIScT(Reg) Technicians and technologists working in non-science fields may not be eligible to join the Science Council’s Registers but the IST recognises the exceptional work that technicians and technologists working in non-science fields do. We are committed to providing all our members with a means to endorse their status and to enable them to demonstrate transferable skills, up-to-date professional competence, and continuing professional development. We do this through our Registered Practitioner Scheme and by the designation of MIScT(Reg) or FIScT(Reg) status to members who meet the criteria.

32. The demand for highly skilled technicians continues to diffuse into ever widening sectors. Those with the biggest growth requirements are perhaps surprisingly now in traditionally people orientated businesses such as media and publishing and business services. The construction and certain manufacturing industries continue to fuel the demand for higher level technical skills, with several other expecting to follow their trend. The professional technician has a large skill set which combines theory, practice, knowledge, skills, facts, behaviour, hand and mind.

33. Registration Demonstrates to employers and future employers that you Have achieved and maintained competency in your field of work Undertake continuing professional development Have been recognised and by a professional body (licenced by the Science council) as a Professional Practitioner Are proactive in your approach to work This can give you the edge in an increasingly challenging sector

34. Competencies report Competencies

35. What the future may hold

36. New posts

37. Shared services A key political priority More than ever, institutions must offer value for money to students and prospective students in the new funding environment. So efficiency and effectiveness must remain priorities for the sector and we expect universities and colleges to deliver further efficiencies in all elements of teaching, research and administrative activity over the coming years. In achieving these efficiencies you should encourage HEIs to collaborate for example through greater sharing of research equipment and infrastructure Vince Cable MP and David Willetts MP, Grant Letter to HEFCE, January 2012

38. IST formal partnership with the University Of Sheffield Quote from a recent press release by the VC of the University of Sheffield: “The future vitality of higher education in the UK will depend on the creative abilities of our technical staff. They are the people at the cutting edge of the research and teaching that drive so much of the innovation we need. They are often the unsung heroes of the advances in Science, Engineering and Medicine. There are few things more important to us than ensuring this talent is properly nurtured and sustained by our Universities and Colleges.”

40. Contact us The Institute of Science & Technology Kingfisher House 90 Rockingham Street Sheffield S1 4EB Tel: 0114 276 3197 Email: office@istonline.org.uk Web: www.istonline.org.uk