Midlands Innovation joins Technician Commitment
Midlands Innovation has formally pledged to address workforce challenges facing technical staff who are critical to research and teaching activities.
Now a formal supporter of the internationally recognised Technician Commitment, Midlands Innovation joins a global community working to improve visibility and recognition of the technical workforce in higher education, research and innovation.
Midlands Innovation is a strategic research partnership and is proud to support the technical workforce across the universities of Aston, Birmingham, Cranfield, Keele, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham and Warwick.
Through collaborative networks, skills development programmes and opportunities for knowledge exchange, Midlands Innovation works to strengthen the visibility, recognition and career development of technicians who are vital to research, innovation and education. Ellen McGhee, Head of Operations, Midlands Innovation, said:
“Technicians are central to research and innovation, providing the expertise, facilities management and specialist support that underpin world-leading research. For more than a decade, Midlands Innovation has championed technical careers, recognised excellence and supported development through initiatives including the Midlands Innovation TALENT Programme, and our support of the UK Higher Education Technicians Summit (HETS) and the Papin Prizes. More recently Midlands Innovation initiatives such as the Repair Shop and our work supporting Trusted Research have created new opportunities for technicians to share expertise, collaborate across institutions, and help address sector-wide challenges. Through these activities, and by signing our support of the Technician Commitment, Midlands Innovation is committed to raising the visibility, recognition and development of technical professionals, enabling them to thrive and contribute to research excellence across our partnership and beyond.”
The Technician Commitment is a pledge to implement a long-term action plan to enhance technical careers, opportunities and skills within the organisation. Carly Dellar, Technician Commitment Lead added:
“We warmly welcome Midlands Innovation to the Technician Commitment community. This regional research partnership has long championed the technical community through the national Papin Prize awards for technical professionals, supporting the UK Higher Education Technicians Summit and piloting initiatives that have since been scaled out national through the UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy. All eight universities in the research partnerships were founding members of the Technician Commitment, so to have Midlands Innovation as part of the community solidifies the commitment to technical professionals within the Midlands.We look forward to supporting Midlands Innovation’s journey in enhancing the visibility and career development of their technical workforce and sharing valuable insights across our growing community.”
Since launching in 2017, it has now grown to a global community of more than 150 organisations championing technicians and their contributions to higher education and research. The initiative is hosted by the UK Institute of Technical Skills & Strategy.
Find out more about Midlands Innovation www.midlandsinnovation.org.uk
