Five actions
The University of Sheffield is a signatory of the Technician Commitment and pledges to ensure visibility, recognition, career development, and sustainability for all technical staff working in higher education and research.
We have pledged to offer our technicians:
1. Visibility
We will ensure that all technicians within the organisation can be identified internally and that the contribution of technicians is visible within and beyond the institution.
2. Recognition
We will support technicians to gain recognition through professional registration.
With support from the Institute of Science and Technology (IST), working professionals can achieve the very best from their work and professional development and be rewarded for it.
Professional registration can also be achieved through many organisations which support science, engineering, IT and higher education.
3. Career development
We will enable career progression opportunities for technicians through the provision of clear, documented career pathways.
The National Technician Development Centre is based in Sheffield and will tackle the shortage of specialist technical skills in the higher education sector. The centre has access to a vital, means-tested resource known as the TDM Toolkit.
The Technical Development and Modernisation (TDM) department at the University of Sheffield developed a resource which assists faculties and departments within our University and other higher education institutions to identify skills gaps and provide clear pathways.
4. Sustainability
We will ensure the future sustainability of technical skills across the organisation and that technical expertise is fully utilised.
5. Evaluating impact
We will regularly assess the impact of actions taken in support of the commitment to ensure their effectiveness.
The National Technician Development Centre team with the support of the IST will work with the University of Sheffield to evaluate impact through self-assessment and to develop a future action plan.