RSC activities Professor Jim Iley CChem FRSC Director, Science and Education, RSC

Outline  Vocational qualifications  Industrial placements  Degree accreditation

Vocational qualifications

RSciTech and RSci  450,000 technicians that will be needed by 2020 to underpin a growing innovation economy (Technician Council)  Two new registers from the Science Council: RSci and RSciTech  The RSC is one of 7 professional bodies to pilot the scheme – currently awaiting pilot licence

Current activities revised membership categories will allow non-graduate applicants to join RSC membership presentation and promotion of the new registers at the Laboratory Equipment Trade Show (Nottingham) 6 months RSC project funded by the Gatsby Foundation Sectors Pharmaceutical, Chemical, Contract analysis services, Food & Drink, Materials, Energy, Water, Defence, Agriculture and Academia

RSC vocational qualification study OBJECTIVES  scale of non-graduates working in technical roles across various chemical sectors  identify current apprenticeships providers and the number of apprenticeship schemes in the chemical sciences  Identify the opportunities for future potential for vocational qualifications in chemical sciences via both apprenticeship schemes and university/college courses

Industrial placements

Industrial Placements Chemistry World Jobs  Dedicated placement website  Free industrial placement advertisement for companies  Supported by HE STEM Programme

Industrial Placements Industrial Placement Guide  Written by Robin Mellors-Bourne (Careers Research and Advisory Centre)  Aimed at potential host companies  Provides guidance and clarifies misconceptions about hosting industrial placements  Supported by the HE STEM Programme

RSC degree accreditation

 Currently accredit >250 chemistry programmes at 40 universities  Emphasis on applying knowledge and solving problems  Aligned to academic requirements for Chartered Chemist  Output focussed  Peer review process  Criteria based on external reference points  QAA benchmark  Qualification frameworks  Two levels of accreditation  Bachelor  Master

Key requirements for accreditation  Breadth of chemistry  Depth of chemistry  Practical abilities  Research training  Professional skills  Robust and varied assessment  Adequate resources  Quality assurance  Suitable placement activity  Appropriate degree title