Amongst those concerned with the skills needs of the nation there has been a growing concern that the UK has failed over the years to promote and nurture technicians.  The influential Leitsch Report (2006) highlighted a shortage of "level 3" skills.  Subsequent studies, including some recently published by the UKCES, demonstrated that a lack of recognition for technicians is holding back our economy.

The former Science Minister, Lord Sainsbury, prompted an initiative to address this in the recent Skills White Paper "Skills for Growth".  He has offered to put the considerable resource of the Gatsby Foundation behind proposals to increase recognition of technicians and gain greater levels of participation in professional registers.  The Engineering Council has been treated as a model of how such registers might be established and individuals assessed.

At the time of writing there are moves to introduce a Technician Council charged with developing and promoting registration schemes covering science and health as well as the existing Engineering Technician and ICT Technician registers.  Efforts to engage key bodies like the Association of Colleges, and the relevant Sector Skills Councils are bearing fruit, with an imminent conference to bring major national employers together to discuss support for better recognition.

We will provide more information in our next issue.