NTDC National Education Technical Professional Pathway

Summary 

The National Technician Development Centre (NTDC) has been supporting the sector with technician career pathway development for over a decade and currently has over 100 member organisations.  The Higher Education Technical Taxonomy (HETT) Framework has been used with over 70+ organisations and continues to be redeveloped and modernised.  The National Education Technical Professional (ETP) Working Group is developing a pathway for education technicians (Education Technical Professionals) similar to those for Research Technical Professional (RTPs).  This is critical to ensure recruitment and retention of the best education technical talent and to deliver the best education and experience to students.    

Introduction 

The challenge of recruiting and retaining technicians is well published.  This is considered a significant barrier to the attraction and retention of technical talent and a major contributor to the technical skills shortage continuing to face the UK.

The National Technician Development Centre (NTDC) is the Office for Students (OfS) National Body for the Higher Education Sector. We are a not-for-profit organisation with over 100 member organisations.  We have been supporting organisations with technical career pathway development for over a decade.  Our roots go back to 2014 when the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE, the government body that preceded OfS & UK Research & Innovation, UKRI) funded the Technical Development & Modernisation Project.  

The Higher Education Technical Taxonomy (HETT) Framework has been used to support 70+ organisations to refresh or redesign their technical career pathways.  The HETT Framework consists of 4 components:

1. Higher Education Technical Taxonomy: Architecture of incremental roles and their names; 

2. Capability Framework: Describes the abilities required to complete each role; 

3. Role Outlines: Define the tasks and objectives of each role in the family;

4. Progression Criteria: Used to determine promotion criteria where organisations require promotional pathways.

We continue to redevelop and modernise the HETT Framework so that it remains sector leading.  In our most recent update, we introduced our Research Technical Professional Pathway which can be implemented as either a traditional or a promotional pathway.

A Spotlight on Education Technicians

A specific pathway for education technicians does not currently exist. Such a pathway would give parity with RTP colleagues who:

• Are increasingly recognised as professionals in their own right;

• Can benefit from targeted development and promotion.

NTDC National Education Technical Professional Pathway

Our National Education Technical Professional Working Group is comprised of the best technical, HR & Organisational Development and academic talent from 25+ universities from across the sector.  We have been co-creating the National Education Technical Professional Pathway.  

We have defined the Education Technical Professional (ETP) as, usually technicians who:

• Make vital contributions to the education of students;

• Deliver excellence in technical & technology education and its innovation;

• Deliver as a team (e.g. with academic colleagues) providing the fullest experience and offering optimum conditions for student success.

Benefits

Our National ETP Pathway will deliver the following benefits:

• Attracting, developing and retaining ETPs with cutting edge technical and technology skills crucial for educating current and future generations of students;

• Realising the full potential of ETPs in collaboratively driving forward technical and technology education and its innovation;

• Value and promote the work of ETP in securing positive student outcomes, driving innovation in education and as members of the wider education community;

• Introduce parity with the RTP Pathway.

What doeS the ETP pathway offer?

Our National ETP Pathway will provide a framework of four ETP roles with associated capabilities and progression criteria.  The ETP Pathway will be released without restriction to the HE sector once complete (it will not require a subscription to access).  We are gathering feedback to enable finalisation.  Feedback sessions have taken place at:

• Institute of Science & Technology Conference (September 2024);

• Staff Development Forum Festival of Learning and Development (November 2024).

Feedback sessions are taking place at the following universities:

• Coventry University;

• University of Derby;

• Edinburgh Napier University;

• University of Leeds;

• The University of Liverpool; 

• Manchester Metropolitan University.

Role information is presented below.  We welcome any feedback at enquiries@ntdc.ac.uk

National Education Technical Professional Network ‘ETP’ Net

In October 2024 we launched the National Education Technical Professional Network, ‘ETP’Net.  Our first meeting will be at our Partner Affiliate Forum in January.  ‘ETP’Net will unite education technicians (ETPs) from across the sector and beyond.  We will explore education focused technical roles (including our new ETP Pathway), share best practice and seek solutions to collective challenges.  We are establishing Interest Groups including the SuperLab Interest Group.  

If you would like to get involved please contact enquiries@ntdc.ac.uk.