Midlands Innovation joins global Technician Commitment community
Midlands Innovation has become an official supporter of the internationally recognised Technician Commitment, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to championing technicians and technical careers across its university partnership.
The move formalises Midlands Innovation’s place within a global community working to improve the visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability of the technical workforce that is critical to research, innovation and education.
Since 2015, Midlands Innovation has championed technicians through initiatives including the Midlands Innovation TALENT Programme, the UK Higher Education Technicians Summit (HETS) and the Papin Prizes. The partnership has helped raise the visibility of technical professionals, recognise excellence and support career development across higher education and research. All eight Midlands Innovation universities were founding signatories of the Technician Commitment and have played a significant role in shaping national efforts to strengthen technical careers.
Becoming an official supporter of the Technician Commitment reflects Midlands Innovation’s growing role in bringing together technical communities, sharing expertise and addressing sector-wide challenges. Building on more than a decade of activity, the partnership will continue to create opportunities for collaboration, skills development and knowledge exchange across the sector.
As Midlands Innovation’s work has evolved, the partnership has taken an increasingly active role in bringing together technical communities, sharing best practice and developing innovative approaches to sector-wide challenges. Becoming an official supporter of the Technician Commitment reflects that leadership role and provides a framework for continuing to champion technicians and support their professional development across the Midlands and beyond.
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 the Technician Commitment https://www.techniciancommitment.org.uk/
