The professional journey Suhel Miah MSc, FIScT

Who am I? Experience: Trainee Technician - Technician - Senior Technician – Head Technician - Laboratory Manager – Laboratory & Clinical Services Manager Education & Professional Standing: MSc European Politics & Fellow of the IST Current Roles: Ambassador, IST London Regional Coordinator, HEaTED Lead Consultant, Lab Management UK Student, MBA

Why am I here? To highlight the role of the IST in the professional journey To highlight the value of the Science Council’s professional registration scheme Activity: conduct a brief exercise, so we can do more to support your professional journey

About us The professional body for specialist, technical and managerial staff Supports professionals in Schools/FE/HE/industry with national and international membership On the journey to support the recognition and professional standing Add value and recognition as professionals with membership titles A licensed body of the UK Science Council. The IST can award your registered status (RSci & RSciTech) Practioner Register Award – an IST register for colleagues in the arts and specialist areas

What is the professional registration scheme about? Providing recognition for the role you're in now, as well as a framework to support / enhance your future career development / prospects Providing wider recognition for skills gained through work Demonstrating your commitment to employers, colleagues and clients Creating a broader community of scientists and specialists working across a huge range of sectors and disciplines

Achieving the awards and maintaining the Registered standard? 3 STEPS: 1.Become a member of a professional body such as the IST (membership fee £42) 2.Apply through the professional body to register as a RSci or RSciTech. Application fee (£25) 1.Annual revalidation through engagement in CPD is the process by which Registrants retain the RSci or RSciTech award and remain on the Register

Benefits of IST membership A professional body run by Technicians for Technicians Low cost membership Fast track membership Accepts experience – supports technicians without degrees Supports and develops your career and interests, professional standing, knowledge and skills and network of contacts Quarterly journal, news updates, conferences and seminars

Recognition of Arts based subjects within iST IST’s Registered Practitioner scheme Technicians and Technologists in non-science fields Demonstrates transferable skills, professional competence and CPD

Recognition of Arts based subjects within iST ‘The IST recognises that technical support services within HE are responsible for the maintenance, development and support specialist facilities and IT resources. They understand that skills required to enrich new technologies and focus on degree programmes that are relevant for today’s market place requires investment/development and crucially recognition for technical staff in areas such as Music, Journalism and Arts based subject areas. The IST is a Professional Body that I believe will play an important role in promoting tomorrows’ professionals in all fields.’ Kuldip Singh – Technical Support Manager, School of Music, Humanities and Media, University of Huddersfield.

What is the value of professional registration? Registration captures what you already know and do – not re-training Demonstrate you also maintain the knowledge and competence you’ve developed over many years Recognition for the role you're in now, as well as a framework to support your future career development Demonstrate your professionalism to employers, colleagues and clients Registration is transferable across industry sectors – good for mobility Become part of a broader community of scientists working across a huge range of sectors and disciplines

Activity in two parts The professional journey is more important now than perhaps ever before. How can we engage technicians to take up the professional registers scheme? Part A: Discuss and identify as a group (your table), three ways we can engage technicians in the professional registration scheme (include reason). (6 Minutes)

Activity result The professional journey is more important now than perhaps ever before. How can we engage technicians to take up the professional registers scheme? Part B: Share your answers with everyone – use flip chart paper to write the three key ways to engage technicians (include reason) and place it on the wall. (5 Minutes)

Summary The IST Prepare for the changes and challenges Recognition and professional standing Engagement in learning, development and training – crucial in the professional journey Develop and enhance your career prospects

Contact us The Institute of Science & Technology (IST) Kingfisher House, 90 Rockingham Street Sheffield S1 4EB Tel: Fax: Web:

RSci and RSciTech awards through the IST

RSci Competencies Registered Scientists are expected to demonstrate, through a combination of their knowledge and experience, the ability to: Identify and use relevant scientific understanding, methods and skills to address broadly-defined, complex problems Exercise personal responsibility in planning and implementing tasks Demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills Apply appropriate theoretical and practical methods Demonstrate a personal commitment to professional standards

RSciTech Competencies Registered Science Technicians are expected to demonstrate, through a combination of their knowledge and experience, the ability to: Identify and use relevant scientific understanding, methods and skills to complete tasks and address well defined problems Exercise personal responsibility in planning and implementing tasks according to prescribed protocols Demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills Apply appropriate theoretical and practical methods according to protocol Demonstrate a personal commitment to professional standards

Demonstrating Competencies Applicants should demonstrate competencies using examples of their own work: Explain what they did Explain why they did it Explain how they did it Demonstrate they have working knowledge and understanding of the things they do or have done within their role. There is guidance which gives examples of the types of tasks which are relevant to the different competencies

The full CPD standards In order to retain the award, Registrants must: 1.Maintain a continuous, up-to-date and accurate record of their CPD activities; 2.Demonstrate that their CPD activities are a mixture of learning activities relevant to current or future practice; 3.Seek to ensure that their CPD has benefited the quality of their practice; 4.Seek to ensure that their CPD has benefited the users of their work (employee, customer, student etc); 5.Present a written profile containing evidence of their CPD

Question & Answer Session The professional journey is more important now than perhaps ever before. How can we engage technicians to take up the professional registers scheme? Identify and collect ideas

Some fundamental changes Workplace TechnologyRegulationsOrganisationsCommunicationMediaLocationsBusiness models