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We supported the UCL’s Technical Managers Group to build on the ongoing Technician Commitment Action plan to better support our technical staff and improve career development opportunities.
UCL employs over 1,000 highly skilled technical staff whose diverse range of expertise is essential to delivering our mission. Our technical staff work in all areas of the university with technicians based in the Faculties, Information Services Division, and UCL Culture.
The utility of technologies, materials and processes in the heads and hands of our technical staff extend our reach into the world. Providing improved and tailored development opportunities for the technical community is essential to the sustainability of our workforce and our continued success in teaching and research.
In September 2020, we set up a team to work closely with the Technical Managers Group and the UCL community to help support our technical staff and improve career development opportunities through the delivery of UCL’s Technician Commitment Action Plan.
Following a survey of technical staff at UCL, the Technical Staff Project team are continuing with the next stage of the Technician Commitment Action Plan.
How we have been supporting our technical staff community
Since signing the commitment in 2018 we have:
- Established two Communities of Practice for technical staff to help strengthen professional identity, share best practice, and to collaborate and improve their practice areas.
- Renewed our subscription to Higher Education and Technician’s Educational Development (HEaTED). All technical staff can make use of our HEatED membership to access best practice resources, find networking opportunities and keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the sector.
- Developed the UCL Technical Staff SharePoint site to bring together all of the support available to technical staff at UCL, to signpost to best practice and resources and to share our progress against the action plan.
- Ran a bespoke technical staff survey in partnership with the National Technicians Development Centre. The aim of the survey was to understand more about the full breadth and diversity of technical expertise at UCL as well as the professional development and career planning needed to support the community.