The University of Exeter has been awarded £20,000 to create a new technical apprenticeship role, it has been announced.
Exeter is one of three Higher Education institutes, alongside Loughborough University and Northumbria University, to receive a share of £60,000 from the UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy.
HESA data shows 45% of technicians supporting physics research and teaching activities within UK universities are aged 51 or over, risking a lack of future technical skills needed to meet the growing demands of the sector.
The Research England funded UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy has partnered with the Institute of Physics (IOP) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to unlock future careers for new Physics Technical Apprentices nationally.
Steve Spaull, Technical Strategy & Operations Partner for the Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy at the University of Exeter said: “”This investment will enable high quality, world leading research in our Physics department as our technical staff continue to support ongoing research projects.
“The role will also enable an apprentice technician to learn from the deep experience of our existing research technicians in this area.
“The Physics workshop provides high precision mechanical engineering to the Physics Department (and others) in designing and producing experimental equipment and support for research in areas as diverse as biophysics to astronomy.
“The role will also provide support to the Low Temperature Services in the Physics Department, providing cryogens for low temperature experiments. We’re really excited to be able to support the continuous development of technical careers with this apprenticeship.”
Dr Kelly Vere MBE, Director of the UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy and Programme Lead for the Technician Commitment said: “We are excited to invest in young technical talent to accelerate the number of technical apprentices being recruited into Physics Technical Apprentice positions.
“By offering £40,000 to support universities to recruit during a financially challenging time, we hope that it can help bridge the skills gap within this discipline.
“New technical apprentice jobs will be created as a result, thanks to support from IOP and EPSRC. This funding call is helping create jobs, facilitate career progression and increase capacity in technical teams.
“This innovative approach to tackling the skills gap is helping create a more sustainable technical workforce and kick-start a new pipeline of technicians stepping into roles which are critical to world-class research and innovation.”
For more information about the scheme visit: https://itss.org.uk/support-for-organisations/investment-in-technical-talent/
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