Open opportunities roundup
15 February 2023
All you need to know about the latest opportunities. On this page:
End date for NTDC funding opportunity draws closer
Technicians from the NTDC’s Partner Affiliated institutions have until the end of the month to apply for vital grant funding.
The Technician Development Fund (TDF) is open to technicians from the NTDC’s network of partner higher education institutions. The fund supports the development of innovative technical initiatives that have a wide reaching impact.
Two funding strands are currently available: Technicians Improving the reproducibility in research and promoting technical careers to the next generation.
The NTDC is partnering with the United Kingdom Reproducibility Network to fund two technician-focused projects up to £1,000 each, for demonstrating innovative ways of making research more reproducible via methodology or technology.
Funding up to the value of £500 is also available to a technician or a group of technical staff that pitches an outreach/engagement opportunity that supports the promotion of technical careers to the next generation (children aged 6-16 and their families).
Past funding winners include Dr Karen Bailey-Smith who produced a careers open day event (PDF, 1.1MB) at Sheffield Hallam University, and Russell Wilson who created a virtual exhibition showcasing an array of technical careers.
The closing date for project submissions is 28 February. Winners will be notified by 15 March.
What makes your role as a technician special?
Long submission period means applicants have more time to participate in the NTDC Photo Competition 2023.
Technical staff across the UK have more time to submit their photograph entries to the annual NTDC Photo Competition this year.
The photo competition is in its third year. However, this year’s six-month submission time span (having opened last month), makes it the longest opening period to date. This gives applicants more time to submit their photographs.
Technicians are called upon to capture the uniqueness of their role for a chance of winning cash prizes of up to £300. This year, the winning and runner-up prizes are sponsored by Scientific Laboratory Supplies, Chromatography Direct, and Anthias Consulting.
A panel formed of NTDC/HEaTED staff and specialist advisors will be judging the entries, and all shortlisted and winning photographs will be revealed at the NTDC Partner Forum in September.
HEaTED Creative Practitioners Network event in Salford
Members within the HEaTED Creative Practitioners Network (HCPN) are set to meet for its first in-person event of the year, at the University of Salford.
The HCPN was developed to support, include, and represent technicians working within the creative industries.
The day-long event, held on 27 April, will be hosted at the University of Salford’s Media City Campus, offering industry related sessions, networking opportunities, as well as campus tours.
It is free for HCPN members to attend; tickets are available now.
Get in touch if you have any questions: enquiries@heated.org.uk
The secret is out
Technicians from across the technical community will be speaking at the NTDC’s first TechMeet of the year on Thursday 9 March.
TechMeet is a regular forum to discuss current events, best practice, opportunities and good news.
Each guest speaker will share details of their ‘secret life’ highlighting the notion that a technician is #NotJustATechnician.
Join us next month to find out about some of the fascinating secret lives our guest technicians lead.
ICYMI: Putting the spotlight on apprentices
The NTDC celebrates the value of technical apprentices
The NTDC invited technical apprentices from across the UK to attend a free event focused on career development and professional registration.
The online event was hosted by Dr Karen Bailey-Smith, Technical Development Manager at Sheffield Hallam University, and Caleb Wright, Apprenticeships Scheme Manager at University of Birmingham. It took place during National Apprentices Week (8 February) and welcomed the Science Council’s Rob Butler, Professional Registration Applicant Support Mentor, and Tom Cheek, Apprenticeship Lead.
Samantha Dobie and Thomas Downes from BIFoR, Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, provided insights into the FACE (Free-Air Carbon Enrichment) project, one of the world’s largest social change experiments.
Thomas is a Level 4 Apprenticeship Engineering Technician who is working on the environmental programme. He said, “The avenues that have opened up to me are absolutely massive.”
A panel of technical apprentices from Sheffield Hallam University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Newcastle University and the University of Kent, discussed their personal insights, answering questions about their experiences and offering advice.
Panellist and former apprentice, Megan Hughes, a Lab Technician at Newcastle University, said, “I have learned so many skills and disciplines.”
More information about the NTDC National Apprenticeship event