Calling all technicians: Take part in a virtual exhibition!

Russell Wilson from Edinburgh Napier was recently awarded funding from the NTDC to promote technical careers to the next generation - and his project needs your help!

See more from Russell in the video below.

I’m looking for help from technical staff from all disciplines who work in higher education and research sectors. I need your help with a collaborative project focussed around promoting technical careers to the next generation. I’m looking hoping for input from as many members of technical staff from across as wide a range of disciplines and higher education institutions (HEIs) as possible to take part in a virtual exhibition.

Share your passion for your role using a pre-recorded format such as a video recording, poster, podcast, or whatever media you can think of. Perhaps you would like to highlight your career path, share why you love your job or showcase your talent, it doesn’t matter what you submit what matters is you do so with the aim is to engage and inspire the future generation of technicians.    

Many technicians have already signed up to take part in this virtual event with all material being displayed in a 3D exhibition hall platform. The aim is to have a range of exhibits tailored to a wide-ranging audience so that children ranging from primary to secondary school age can learn more about technical careers.  These exhibitions would remain open for a full year and would be advertised with the help of our institutions, current links with schools and other associated organisations. The online nature of the exhibition provides an opportunity to reach a large audience with no caps on total numbers and will remain open for a full calendar year.

At the end of the project all material created will be stored and shared on an accessible storage space with permissions given to all exhibitors meaning they will have access to the material for future engagement events such as Science Fayres, STEM events and open days. This will be a useful bank of resources for technicians to utilise when visiting schools or further promoting technical careers in their regional area.

I have provided a link to a virtual learning and teaching exhibition that was organised by our LTA team here at Edinburgh Napier. This will help give you an idea of the 3D virtual space and is the software I intend to utilise for the project. I have also attached a link to the Biteable webpage, which is a platform I have used previously to create short videos promoting work or to try and further engage students with the technical team during lockdown. I have access to this software and will happily help and assist with the creation of any material/addition of animation if anyone feels this would be useful.

If you are interested in getting involved and providing material for the virtual exhibition, contact me via email at r.wilson@napier.ac.uk. So far representatives from more than eight HEIs have intimated that they wish to get involved with the project and I am hoping to engage with as many technicians across as many disciplines as possible.