Pioneering £3m technician project to boost businesses

Led by the University of Essex, the Technical Platform for Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (T-PIKE) will provide opportunities for technicians to gain vital skills, unlock training, and upskill industry partners.

Technicians, who lead and design experiments whilst conducting research, will focus on two themes “AI, Digitisation and Data” and “Engineering Net Zero”.

Now more than 1,000 staff from Essex, the University of East Anglia, the University of Kent and the University of Sussex, who together form the Eastern Arc network will have access to sector-leading opportunities.

The programme will be led by technicians, who will identify placements, design research and engagement projects.

They will also develop training that will be shared with the wider community

Leading role

Chris Spice, Technical Manager in Essex’s School of Sport, Rehabilitation, and Exercise Sciences, will play a leading role the programme.

He said: “The award of the T-PIKE funding presents a fantastic opportunity for us as technicians at Essex and within the wider Eastern Arc.

“Giving technicians the opportunity and space to develop ideas, skills and knowledge alongside industrial partners - this will have a huge impact on the recognition and sustainability of technical roles.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to put technicians on the map and work with partners across the Eastern region to drive positive change to the environment they are working in.

“I urge anyone interested to contact the team and push forward any ideas or opportunities they can identify to push this exciting programme forward.”

£1.5m grant

The programme has been funded by a £1.5million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with further support provided by the host universities and key industry partners.

Facilities management firm Cloud FM, Essex County Council and BT are amongst the partners to support the programme.

Focusing on knowledge exchange activities, university technical staff will gain new skills from the private sector while sharing their knowledge and experience.

As part of the programme, experienced staff will train new staff looking to kickstart their careers as the technicians of the future, ensuring sustainability of the profession.

T-PIKE will launch in April and initially run for four years.

Professional development

Essex’s Professor Edward Codling, Faculty Dean for Research in Science and Health, helped organise the funding bid.

He said: “Technicians play an essential role in research across all disciplines.

“In the past university technicians have not usually been given the training and support they need to actively engage with industry partners.

“T-PIKE will address this gap, enabling their own professional development and making sure their unique skills and experience are shared widely.

“T-PIKE is the latest scheme to be launched within Eastern Arc and comes hot-on-the-heels of the University of Sussex joining the consortium in January.

“It also builds on its dedication to upskilling staff which has seen a well-supported technician’s network launch – which shares state-of-the-art equipment, skills and opportunities within the network.”

Wider investment

T-PIKE will form part of a wider £16 million investment by EPSRC into Strategic Technical Platforms that align with the UKRI’s Research England funded TALENT programme, and the Institute for Technical Strategy and Skills (ITSS), which have gathered new strategic insights into the UK’s technical workforce in higher education and research.

Director of Eastern Arc Phil Ward said: “'This funding is testament to the outstanding work of our research technical professionals, or RTPs.

“They identified the need and led on the bid, and I'm delighted to see their vision realised. Our work in coordinating the sharing of equipment across the consortium will, I hope, provide further opportunities for T-PIKE and wider RTP collaborations.

“I look forward to supporting them as they continue to develop links through the EARC Technicians' Network.”

Vibrant community

Jane Nicholson, Research Base Director at EPSRC added: “Through these 11 new projects, the Strategic Technical Platform funding will help cultivate a thriving, dynamic, and vibrant community of research technicians.

“This community will not only support and elevate cutting-edge research in the UK, but also foster a sizeable, highly skilled and esteemed research technician network.

“The UK is a world leader in high-tech research and development and it's essential that we fully support the full breadth of skills needed for the workforce that deliver this innovation”