News

A new placement programme has launched for university technicians to enable them to exchange skills, share experience and best practice.

The Technical Skills Placement Programme is being introduced by Midlands Innovation to support technical staff working across institutions in the region. Midlands Innovation represents eight universities in the region, in which over 2100 technicians are employed, providing a diverse range of technical expertise.

Technicians play a vital role in universities. The work that they do, usually unseen, enables teaching, research, knowledge exchange and outreach activities to take place. The Technical Skills Placement Programme will provide technicians with an opportunity to work with technicians at other universities on a short placement, in order to develop their skills and make new contacts that can provide support and advice to help them in their future technical careers.

The Technical Skills Placement Programme is open to any technician, of any grade from across the eight member universities and funding covers travel, sustenance and accommodation. Applications are welcome directly from technicians, or from managers who would like their staff members to learn or experience a particular technique or skill. You must apply by 20th February 2019.

For further information regarding this new intiative and application form, please use the following link to the Midlands innovation website:

:http://midlandsinnovation.org.uk/news/2019-articles/technicianplacement.aspx

On Friday 18^th January we held a Window on Warwick: Our Technicians Commitment – Update for 2019. Below is a link to the presentation slides for the event which covered:

• What has been achieved in the past year and an overview of our Technicians Commitment going forward.
• The timescales of our action plan for our Technicians Commitment.
• Highlight how to keep up to date with our latest progress and news through our TechNet website.
• Inform our staff of upcoming events and awards.
• A chance to ask questions about the Technician Commitment and provide feedback.

WOW event- technician\'s commitment

The HE Bioscience Technician of the Year Award 2019 is now open for entries.

The award is open to technical staff at any stage in their career who are carrying out exemplary work in universities across the UK and Ireland. Prizes comprise £400 for 1st place and £200 for 2nd place, along with one year’s free Membership of the Royal Society of Biology at the appropriate grade, one year’s free Registered Science Technician registration (upon receipt of successful application) and invitation to the UBMA conference dinner on Friday 3^rd May 2019 to accept their award.

Individuals can enter by being nominated, either by themselves or a colleague, by noon on Friday 11 January 2019. For further information on the award, including how to apply, please visit the website.RSB