‘ Technicians under the microscope: the training and skills of university laboratory and workshop technicians ’

1. ‘Technicians under the microscope: the training and skills of university laboratory and workshop technicians’ Paul Lewis and Howard Gospel King’s College London SKOPE, Oxford, 24 November 2011

2. Neglected, but important, group (Barley, Toner various) Policy importance – contribution to research and teaching; government wants to ↑ number and status (DBIS 2009, 2010; Technicians Council 2011) Good occupation to test relative importance of (1) recruitment v. up-grade training v. apprenticeship and (2) apprenticeship v. college / university routes Becos focus on similar employer; similarities, but also differences, in type of worker Future role of apprenticeship? Motivation and objectives 1

3. Employer strategies (Ryan et al. 2007) Recruitment - hiring trained staff from external market On-going / up-grade - training of those of all ages - former more generic; latter = more formal career Apprenticeship - structured training, mainly for younger people University technician labour market = imperfectly competitive – not all skills transferable; employers do not have full information; employers have latitude in wage setting Perspectives on employers’ decisions about skills and training 1

4. Dimensions / Drivers - Technology – support / skills systems - practice-based v. knowledge-based - tacit v. formal knowledge - generic v. org-specific - Market - thick v. thin - Institutional - within the org – HRM - outside the org – occupational registration Outcomes – resourcing, work org, performance? Role of wider parties - registration Perspectives on employers’ decisions about skills and training 2

5. Big employers, central HR / Training departments Susceptible to government influence Workforce traditionally unionised Real skill needs in workshops and labs Apprentice tradition Apprenticeship to be strongish What might one expect re apprenticeship in university workshops and labs?

6. Secondary and primary documentationInterviews with peak orgs e.g. HEFCE, sector bodies 18 English universities – 14 pre- and 4 post-1992 45 departments in 4 areas – engineering, physics, chemistry, and biosciences (biology, biochemistry, zoology etc) 96 interviews with HoDs, Technical Services Managers; + some technicians Support from Gatsby Research methods and data

7. Table 1: Number of different kinds of case study departments and interviews

8. Table 2: Summary of the case study departments

9. Someone skilled in use of particular techniques and instruments, aimed to solve practical problems Often involves considerable ingenuity / creativityCertainly practical experience Interface between theory and applied, between mental and manual. The technician labour force

10. Figure 1. Numbers ↓ and ratio of techs to academics and to students ↓. Types Infrastructure – stores M and E workshops Analytical – particular instruments / techniques Research labs Teaching Tech / scientific officers = BSc, MSc, PhD Turnover – low = + and – Age = average 50 in eng, physics, chemistry; bio = 40 The technician labour force

12. Many trained in house via. apprenticeship straight from school Tend to be older e.g. in eng = 30%; chem and bio slightly lower Recruitment other universities industry – esp in eng, but also in bio What is the emerging pattern?What is happening to apprenticeship? Qualifications, skills, and training: traditional / current pattern

13. Eng and physics Difficult to recruit from external labour market - salaries - ‘the well has run dry’Going back to apprenticeship 6 of 12 eng; 3 of 9 physics. Others Bio and chemistry Recruiting graduates – recent 25% in bio Only 1 dept has apprentice training … but can’t get workshop techs with M&E skills Emerging / present pattern

14. On-going training – ad hoc, short-term, uncertificated; not up-grade; – constrained by - supply of suitable college courses - difficult to release - financial pressures - older techs reluctant to ‘go back to college’ Cannot provide an alternative to apprenticeship or university / college routes Emerging / present pattern

15. Table 3: Qualifications typically associated with particular technician roles in pre-1992 universities

16. 6 of 12 eng and 3 of 9 physics have re-started; and others considering - aging labour force; can’t recruit; can’t get mechantronic skills All AA – NVQ3 + ONC, HNC, rotation All delegated to training providers viz. colleges, private, GTAs which hold contract → some concerns. 16-20 years; 5 GCSEs, with a science and maths at B; … but struggle to recruitPay wages circa £12.5K Numbers small e.g. 3-5% The type of apprenticeship - aside

17. Engineering and physics reverting to apprenticeship Biosciences and chemistry using graduates Emerging / present pattern: stark contrast

18. Technological - demand for practice-based skills in eng - cross-disciplinary needs a degree eg chemeng, bioeng - bio increasing demand for analytical and data handling skills – generic - … but still shortage of M&E and mechatronic Market- abundant supply of bio / chemistry graduates - eng – traditional supply? graduates? - therefore return to apprenticship But problems - creating apt systems; retaining apt - over-qualification - improving on-going training Explaining the pattern

19. Supportive - secure jobs, open-ended contracts - large central HR / Training departments Less supportive - financial constraints - appraisal systems weak - cannot offer much by way of career e.g. discretionary points, upgrading, promotion - status – some changes e.g. consult, put on cttees - but work low status, physical effort, unappreciated ‘don’t understand’, ‘taken for granted’, ‘forgotten’ - little voice Elaborating the pattern – institutional factors – 1. HRM

20. Registration (Kleiner 2006)Statutory or voluntary Names + other details recorded on register; Fee qualification a pre-requisite CPD required Technicians Council established 2010Voluntary registration of STEM, ICT, health care qualifications; title AimRaise status Incentive to seek qualifications Signal skills Elaborating the pattern – institutional factors – 2. Registration

21. Some evidence + effect (UKCES 2011) Optimistic welcome - encourage training, esp of younger technicians - positive effect on HR practices e.g. appraisal - ↑ status and skills - provide a career – inside and outside uni sector But, if makes skills more transparent → turnover ↑ → less willing to train Registration

22. Small, but important group Up to now reasonable match with employer needs.But, ageing labour force, succession planning.↑in demand for analytical, data handling, mechatronic skills Stark contrast - use of market and graduates v. reversion to apprenticeship Differences to be explained by - technological and market factors - institutional factors play mixed role - HRM constrained - potential of registration? Conclusions

23. Conceptual - strategies – recruit, up-grade / on-going, apprentice - technology, markets, institutional Policy - Employers - recognise pattern - consider revival / support for apprenticeship in eng. But sustainability of pattern - financial pressure on apprenticeship - continuing reliance on graduates, given fees Conclusions

24. Policy - Employees - little say - TU no longer a player - Registration Policy – Government - consider support for ambitious registration scheme Report to Gatsby, SKOPE WP Conclusions

25. ‘Technicians under the microscope: the training and skills of university laboratory and workshop technicians’ Paul Lewis and Howard Gospel King’s College London SKOPE, Oxford, 24 November 2011