Registered Environmental Technician - REnvTech Background Promotion of Technical Skills. Gatsby Foundation work since 1990 making grants to support science technology engineering and maths. Grants made available. Technicians Council grew from this and published a report indicating an alarming skills gap between current technicians in the UK and the 450,000 needed by needed to underpin a growing innovation economy.

Technician Council Phase 2: Vision and Purpose 'The TC will promote professional registration as a means to increase the overall capability of the UK technician workforce for the long term benefit of the UK economy It will raise the profile and status of technicians working in science, engineering and technology sectors in order to increase the number of people registering or choosing career paths to become registered technicians.

It will achieve this:  by working with employers to develop their understanding of and commitment to the role that professional registration plays in delivering a skilled workforce;  by ensuring individuals making career choices have easy access to relevant and engaging advice and direction about technician career paths;  by working with professional bodies, unions, sector skills councils and learning providers to ensure that learning and development pathways for registered technicians meet both employer and employee need;  by actively engaging with Government as a focal point for technicians and providing a focus for those with an interest in promoting and increasing the UK's technician workforce capability. ' (developed by G Spittle and amended following meeting of the Technician Council on ).

Definition: Registered Technicians Technicians apply and adapt proven techniques and procedures to the solution of practical problems. They carry supervisory or technical responsibility and are competent to exercise creativity and skills within defined fields of science, engineering and technology. They have acquired knowledge and understanding and are increasingly likely to have completed further education and training. The specific attributes of a registered technician are:  they are working in a practical role which involves Science, Engineering or Technology, as part or all of its function;  they are technically qualified to and working at a minimum of QCF level 3 (or equivalent) in subjects relevant to the role being fulfilled;  they sign up to and adhere to a professionally recognised code of practice and ethics through registration with and membership of an appropriate professional body;  they are committed to developing and maintaining an appropriate blend of generic, specific, personal /managerial and technical skills and capabilities

The Science Council The Engineering Council & now The Society for the Environment Have all answered the call by establishing new professional registers - Ours is Registered Environmental Technician, both a recognition of the value of technicians and also offering a career ladder to Chartered Status - Chartered Environmentalist

1.Reviewed the work done by the Engineering Council and the Science Council. 2.Used as a base the revised CEnv Competences (you are now all using). 3. Kept the structure the same (so that it would be familiar). 4.Revised the wording of the competences to align with Level 3/4 QCF (Qualifications and Credit Framework for England, Wales and Northern Ireland) 5.On Practical Experience agreed ordinarily to have at least the equivalent of 2 years full time relevant work based practice. This need not be contiguous. History of REnvTech Practice Direction

6. Removed the Professional Review Interview (but leaving an option to interview if the Licensed Body (LB) has concerns about the application). 7. Removed Grandparenting route as now a paper based exercise (and can be a simple form basically filling in boxes against the competences). 8. Agreed assessors could be either REnvTechs or CEnv's or one of each. 9. The REnvTech system remains the same as the CEnv system, i.e. the application process, the assessment process, the post assessment process, the appeals process, the code of ethics requirement. 10. All the above was agreed at the 2013 AGM 11. Fees payable to SocEnv : £30.00 for initial registration and £15.00 for annual renewal. History of REnvTech Practice Direction (contd.)

1.The LBPD approved June 2011 amended to include a new Register for REnvTech but NB changed as little as possible. 2. Now new sections covering: General Requirements to be an LB Specific Requirements to offer CEnv and the Review Cycle Specific Requirements to offer REnvTech and the Review Cycle (same cycle as CEnv) 3. Audit and Auditors changed to Review and Reviewers now the preferred term. 4. Criteria lettering system changed to a numeric one. The New Licensed Body Practice Direction (LB PD)

5. Criteria 13 for CEnv wording made clearer. 6. Criteria 14 for CEnv changed to give flexibility with new registers now 'Have a minimum of 5 years experience administering membership standards‘. 7. Criteria 20 and 21 for REnvTech aligned with 13/ Fees. No charge for adding the new register. 9. Application form. If your institution has a licence for CEnv you will only have to address the Specific requirements for REnvTech. The New Licensed Body Practice Direction (LB PD) (contd.)