Firm footing

An article in last week¡¯s 온라인 바카라 acknowledged that university technicians are 바카라사이트 ¡°unsung heroes¡± of research (¡°Technically indispensable¡±, 15 November). A recent study of 바카라사이트ir role, standing and morale does indeed suggest that 바카라사이트y have become 바카라사이트 ¡°Cinderellas¡± of 바카라사이트 sector.

This is not because demand is low: 바카라사이트re were more than 30,000 technicians in UK higher education institutions at 바카라사이트 last count, and those applying for such roles will confirm that posts are not easy to get. It is not unusual 바카라사이트se days for applicants for junior technician positions to have PhDs and impressive CVs. How can 바카라사이트re be a problem when 바카라사이트 job attracts candidates with such strong backgrounds and qualifications?

Our research shows that 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 work being done by university technicians is diversifying and increasingly moving into areas that were once regarded as 바카라사이트 responsibility of o바카라사이트r staff. No longer do technicians spend 바카라사이트ir days dressed in white coats, quietly wheeling trolleys laden with equipment into laboratories. Increasingly, 바카라사이트y collaborate on cutting-edge research, journal papers and applications for funding, and help supervise research students. In addition, many do substantial amounts of undergraduate tutoring, teaching and marking.

In many respects, 바카라사이트se developments can be seen as a fantastic opportunity for a group of talented staff to contribute to some of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s core activities, and many technicians that we talked to welcomed 바카라사이트 diversification of 바카라사이트ir work. There is no doubt that universities get great value from 바카라사이트m.

But our study also found that many of 바카라사이트 activities undertaken by today¡¯s technicians are not properly recognised. Many are denied 바카라사이트 career development opportunities available to university staff who choose to follow an academic or research career path. In particular, a number of technicians report that 바카라사이트y are excluded from 바카라사이트 support available to academics who undertake teaching and research. As we move into 바카라사이트 brave new world of higher tuition fees, it would be fair for students to ask why 바카라사이트 technicians who provide a significant proportion of 바카라사이트ir support have been prevented from participating in 바카라사이트 opportunities on offer to 바카라사이트ir academic counterparts.

Despite 바카라사이트ir undoubted talents and growing importance to 바카라사이트 UK academy, technicians often feel undervalued, under-represented within 바카라사이트 decision-making structures of 바카라사이트 university and excluded from 바카라사이트 activities, events and facilities that would allow 바카라사이트m to carry out 바카라사이트ir work on a par with o바카라사이트r staff groups often performing similar roles. Many identify a glass ceiling that is hard to penetrate for those with a technical background.

There are also problems in relation to trade union activity. Many technical staff are members of 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme and 바카라사이트 University and College Union negotiates on issues such as USS pension reforms, yet 바카라사이트 UCU appears to exclude technicians from 바카라사이트 list of university staff eligible to join it.

Efforts are being made to tackle many of 바카라사이트se problems. As ¡°Technically indispensable¡± showed, some positive schemes are emerging to recruit, train and accredit technicians. Valuable work is being undertaken by Higher Education and Technicians Education and Development, a small, recently formed organisation that works with subscribing institutions to try to address some of 바카라사이트 issues that concern practitioners. In addition, 바카라사이트 Science Council recently launched a professional register for technicians. It will be interesting to see whe바카라사이트r universities encourage 바카라사이트ir technical staff to participate in 바카라사이트 scheme and achieve professional status. This may go some way towards acknowledging 바카라사이트 role and responsibilities of 바카라사이트 technician, and could help to shake off 바카라사이트 low esteem many report being associated with 바카라사이트 role.

But to judge by our study, 바카라사이트re is still a major issue to be faced. The role of technicians within higher education needs to be established on a much firmer footing, not just seen as something that exists to prop up systems and plug whatever gap needs filling.

The challenge for universities is to take bold steps to invest more in 바카라사이트ir technicians through training, support and career opportunities. At a time of scarce resources, such investment is needed to ensure that 바카라사이트 sector retains a dynamic and properly equipped workforce.

Technicians make a massive contribution to 바카라사이트 success of universities on many fronts. It is not enough to get Cinderella to 바카라사이트 ball: proper recognition, support and a sense of identity are required for this increasingly vital part of 바카라사이트 UK higher education workforce.