The College is offering support to technicians looking to pursue a qualification in recognition of their skills.

The Registered Science Technician Award (RSciTech) was established by the Science Council as a formal recognition of excellence for technicians working in science education. This award recognises an individual’s knowledge and experience, professional excellence, and commitment to science education, and gives technicians access to a community of like-minded professionals.

The RSciTech is offered by a number of professional bodies, and Imperial now supports technicians in applying for this accreditation - through mentoring and also funding at the discretion of individual departments. The College is holding a registration workshop on 22 January open to all technicians at the College interested in finding out more. 

Steve Ramsey is one of the first technicians at Imperial to gain the qualification with the College’s support. His career as a glassblower has stretched over 47 years, with the past 15 of those spent working at Imperial. He found out about the accreditation after being awarded membership of The Royal Society of Chemistry in 2014.

Steve Ramsey with his RSciTech certificate

Steve was supported throughout the application process, in particular by his mentor Alastair McIntosh, one of the College’s Research Associates. Steve said: “The application forms looked quite extensive, but I sat down with Alastair and talked through everything I had achieved in my forty seven year career. I’m proud to say I have achieved a lot, and the RSciTech is one way of showing that.” Throughout his career, he had built up the skills and experiences which the qualification is designed to acknowledge. Steve sees the RSciTech as a way to formally affirm his achievements and to mark the excellence attained in his professional field.

Research Technician Katarzyna Sala works with the Department of Life Sciences and has also been awarded the RSciTech qualification. She said: “Becoming a Registered Science Technician is a great opportunity for research technicians, as we can be nationally recognised by colleagues and it can help us to advance in our careers.”

As well as crediting existing achievements, the RSciTech encourages technicians to continuously develop their skills and uphold excellent standards and best practice in science. Every year, registered science technicians have to demonstrate that they are still developing in their careers and offer evidence that they are professionally active in order to revalidate their registration. Technicians who are still in the early stages of their careers are encouraged to begin the process of application and use the various competencies as targets to bring more structure to their development.

Technicians at Imperial

On Friday 22 January the Learning and Development Centre is hosting a registration session for technicians who are interested in pursuing the RSciTech. This will be an informal networking and workshop session open to all technicians at the College, with members of professional bodies on hand to answer questions. For further information and to book a place, please contact Jenny Davies, Learning and Development Administrator.

The College has built an internal network for all staff in a technical role, through which technicians can draw on each other’s experience, knowledge and resources. The Learning and Development Centre offers a variety of programmes which focus on Professional Development, Safety and Leadership.

Over the past few years, Imperial has taken further steps to help technicians build their professional skills. In 2011, the College welcomed its first two apprentices onto the Technician Apprentice Scheme, and the first two graduates of the scheme have now secured jobs at the College. This summer the College held a Technicians’ Conference, opened by Professor Tom Welton, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, which brought together technicians from Imperial and associated NHS trusts. There were opportunities to find out about professional registration, network with colleagues and representatives of major professional bodies, and have a go at glassblowing.