CAVA ANNUAL CONFERENCE CAMBRIDGE NOVEMBER 2013
ACCESS TO HE AND
EMPLOYABILITY – A
CHEMICAL SOLUTION?
GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
Established in 1967 by DJS
Endowment £580M
Annual spend £50M pa
Main support looking forward:
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Plant science research
Neuroscience research
Africa
Institute for Government
Arts
Mental Health
Science & Engineering Education
PROMOTING TECHNICAL
SKILLS
WHAT IS A TECHNICIAN?
Cannot be assumed from:
‒ job title
‒ level or type of education
Technicians are concerned with applying
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 and technology’
(Technician Council 2012)
THE NUMBERS
~1.5 million SET technicians
‒ 30% associate professional occupations
‒ 70% are in skilled trades occupations
‒ An aging workforce, 31% of skilled trades
and 23% of associate professionals aged
50 or older in 2010
Need for an additional 450,000 technicians by
2020
TECHNICIAN NUMBERS
With a need for an additional 450,000
technicians
by 2020
SOLVING THE PROBLEM
Qualifications
- Recognised
- Reputable
- Rigorous
Infrastructure
- Availability
- Teaching Staff
- Facilities
Funding
SUPPLY ISSUES
‒
Technicians’ contributions to the
economy, and to our lives, are not
sufficiently recognised – as a
consequence these occupations lack
identity;
‒
This lack of identity lowers young
people’s desire to explore and enter
these occupations;
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There are few clear pathways for
progression to technician roles.
SOME PROGRESS?
TECHNICIAN REGISTRATION
TECHNICIAN REGISTRATION
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Provides clarity and esteem for
technician roles,
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Sets and maintains high standards for
technicians,
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Increases the take up of qualifications
that are valued by employers,
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Improves access to the professions.
12
A FRAMEWORK FOR REGISTRATION
QCF Level
Professional
titles in engineering
(and post-nominals)
Professional
titles in science
(and post-nominals)
Typical qualifications possessed
3-4
Engineering Technician
(EngTech)
Registered Science Technician
(RSciTech)
Advanced Apprenticeship,
A-Levels, BTEC National, etc
5-6
Incorporated Engineer
(IEng)
Registered Scientist
(RSci)
Higher Apprenticeship
HND, Foundation Degree or Bachelors’ Degree
7+
Chartered
(CEng)
Chartered
(CSci, CPhys, CChem, etc)
Masters’ Degree
TWO NEW PROFESSIONAL
REGISTERS
– Registered Science Technician (RSciTech)
– Registered Scientist (RSci)
SCIENCE TECHNICIAN REGISTRATION
• Framework for professional registration - starting at level 3
progression to chartered
• Science awarded by eight professional bodies – benefits of
membership
• Voluntary registers now exist across Science, Engineering, IT and
Health
• Competence based but with commitment to professional behaviour
and professional development
PILOT PROFESSIONAL BODIES
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Association for Science Education (ASE)
Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)
Institute of Chemical Engineering (IChemE)
Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST)
Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM)
Institute of Science and Technology (IST)
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Society of Biology (SoB)
BENEFITS OF REGISTRATION
• Status to the individual
• Clear work-based pathways with progression to higher levels of
professionalism
• Clarity for the employer
• Independent and therefore stable
• Links with technicians in other industries
HOW DO I GET ON THE REGISTER?
You need to be:
• a member of a professional body
• competent at the appropriate level
• engage with continuing professional development
What does all this have to do with Access?
ACCESS TO HE AND
EMPLOYABILITY PILOT
ACCESS TO HE AND EMPLOYABILITY
PILOT
APT
G AT SBY
RSC
5 FURT HER EDUCAT I O N
CO LLEG ES I N T HE SW
PILOT TIMELINE
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Jan 2013 – June 2013 recruitment of colleges
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June 2013 – September 2013 student recruitment and staff development
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October 2013 – RSC induction and student membership
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October 2013 – June 2014 Access to Science pathway including two project units, employability links
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July 2014 Access to Science award and RSciTech award: Target 200 students on the register by the end of
the pilot
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Accredited scheme open to other colleges
WHAT IT MEANS IN PRACTICE
- RSC membership with benefits during the Access course and for
one year after you finish
- RSciTech after your name recognised by industry and education
- Relevant science project
- 19-23 employability
- 24 plus more for their student loan
- National Awards ceremony
WHAT IT MEANS IN PRACTICE
- Funds to support the college to work with their AVA and the RSC to
ensure their Access course is accredited
- A project manager to liaise with all parties
- Support from the RSC to develop links with employers to ensure
that project work is relevant
- Student projects judged by the RSC, Gatsby, Employers, College
resulting in a high profile awards ceremony.
YOUR CHANCE TO GET INVOLVED
Trustees have approved further funding to support a National roll out of
the pilot
Funding to support a further four AVAs this year to work with their FE
colleges and the RSC to expand the programme from September 2014
Funding for each selected FE college to support the project in their
college
CAVA will be one of the AVAs involved in the expansion of the
programme this year. Jill will be contacting each college in the region to
invite you to apply to be one of the colleges that benefit from an
accredited RSC Access course this year.
TO FIND OUT MORE
About the pilot and national roll out
jean.scrase@gatsby.org.uk
About the science registers
http://professionalregisters.org/