We are pleased to become a signatory of the Technician Commitment, pledging to ensure recognition for the UK DRI’s technical communities.
The Technician Commitment is a university and research institution initiative, led by a steering board of sector bodies, with support from the Science Council and the Technicians Make It Happen campaign.
More than half of UK universities and several other research institutions have now pledged to support their technicians through the commitment, which focuses on four key areas:
- Visibility – ensuring that all that all technicians within the organisation are identifiable and that the contribution of technicians is visible within and beyond the institution.
- Recognition – supporting technicians to gain recognition through professional registration and external awards schemes.
- Career development – enabling career progression opportunities for technicians through the provision of clear, documented career pathways.
- Sustainability – ensuring the future sustainability of technical skills across the organisation and that technical expertise is fully utilised.
Sam Jackson, Tools and Technology Platform Manager at the UK Dementia Research Institute said:
“The UK Dementia Research Institute is delighted to be a signatory to the Technician Commitment, and to work with the Science Council and Gatsby to support our technical scientist communities. Staff at the UK DRI carry out a wide range of technical roles which contribute significantly to our research output, and the Technician Commitment will underpin our efforts to increase their visibility and recognition and provide new career development opportunities.”
Kelly Vere MBE, Programme Director of Technician Commitment said:
“By signing up to the Technician Commitment, the UK Dementia Research Institute is recognising the contribution of technicians to their essential work improving outcomes for people with dementia. We look forward to working closely with them to advance visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for their technical community.”
Article published: 25 March 2022
Banner image: Shutterstock/Analysis Studio
key areas are outlined in the commitment