University of Kent Technicians: Working Group

Technician holding a metal object

Working Group

Technician Commitment Working Group

Technician Commitment Working Group

The Technician Commitment working group is comprised of technical and professional services staff representatives from across the University and from a wide range of disciplines. The working group was established to promote the 4 principles of the Technician Commitment: visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability. The group works with university technical staff to deliver the Technician Commitment action plan.

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Dr Daniel Knox, Assistant Director of IT Services (Institutional Champion)

"The Technician Commitment is a national university and research initiative that recognises the importance of Technical Professionals, and the vital part they play in delivering the very best student experience and internationally recognised research and innovation. Our university has pledged to improve our local environment and to this end we published our ambitious set of actions to support the visibility, recognition, career develop and sustainability impact of all technical professionals.

However, the Technician Commitment and our accompanying action plan is not just words on a piece of paper, as Institutional Champion, I believe our commitment is very much about delivering tangible action that our colleagues can see happening on-the-ground. To ensure we deliver on our pledge, the TC working group has been established to lead and jointly oversee its implementation. The membership of this group is comprised of technical professionals from across the university who have volunteered to champion each of the pillars of the technician commitment, they are also joined by representatives from RIS, HR, Campus Services and EDI who will lend their expert knowledge. Together I hope that we will see real progress in delivering each of the actions that we have set out and ensure that the voices of technical services staff are represented and heard at every level of the university."

Phil Marsh, Head of Technical Services

"Over the past 30 years, I’ve worked in several technician roles and had the pleasure of working alongside many talented and creative people who care deeply about what they do and understand how vital their expertise is to teaching, research and the wider work of the University.

I’ve seen the Technician Commitment help raise the profile of technical professionals and create more opportunities for their voices to be heard. Our contribution to teaching is also important: by sharing our knowledge and both supporting and providing practical learning, technicians help students develop technical ability, problem-solving skills and confidence that can strengthen their employability.

I believe we can build on this progress by continuing to develop technical professional roles, recognising the breadth of skills and experience they involve, and making career pathways clearer. This would benefit technical professionals at every stage of their careers and help them make the most of the skills they develop, both within the University and beyond."

Working Group Members

  Meet the dedicated individuals who make up our Technician Commitment Working Group