The professional journey

Suhel Miah MSc, FIScT

Who am I?Experience:

Trainee Technician - Technician - Senior Technician –

Head Technician - Laboratory Manager – Laboratory & Clinical Services Manager

Education & Professional Standing: MSc European Politics & Fellow of the IST

Current Roles: Ambassador, IST

London Regional Coordinator, HEaTED Lead Consultant, Lab Management UK

Student, MBA

Why am I here?

• To highlight the role of the IST in the professional journey

• To highlight the value of the Science Council’s professional registration scheme

• Activity: conduct a brief exercise, so we can do more to support your professional journey

About us• The professional body for specialist, technical and

managerial staff• Supports professionals in Schools/FE/HE/industry with

national and international membership• On the journey to support the recognition and professional

standing• Add value and recognition as professionals with

membership titles• A licensed body of the UK Science Council. The IST can

award your registered status (RSci & RSciTech)• Practioner Register Award – an IST register for colleagues

in the arts and specialist areas

What is the professional registration scheme

about?• Providing recognition for the role you're in now, as well

as a framework to support / enhance your future career development / prospects

• Providing wider recognition for skills gained through work

• Demonstrating your commitment to employers, colleagues and clients

• Creating a broader community of scientists and specialists working across a huge range of sectors and disciplines

Achieving the awards and maintaining

the Registered standard?3 STEPS:1. Become a member of a professional body such as the IST

(membership fee £42)

2. Apply through the professional body to register as a RSci or RSciTech. Application fee (£25)

3. Annual revalidation through engagement in CPD is the process by which Registrants retain the RSci or RSciTech award and remain on the Register

Benefits of IST membership• A professional body run by Technicians for Technicians• Low cost membership• Fast track membership• Accepts experience – supports technicians without degrees• Supports and develops your career and interests, professional

standing, knowledge and skills and network of contacts• Quarterly journal, news updates, conferences and seminars

Recognition of Arts based subjects within iST

• IST’s Registered Practitioner scheme

• Technicians and Technologists in non-science fields

• Demonstrates transferable skills, professional competence and CPD

Recognition of Arts based subjects within iST

‘The IST recognises that technical support services within HE are responsible for the maintenance, development and support

specialist facilities and IT resources. They understand that skills required to enrich new technologies and focus on degree

programmes that are relevant for today’s market place requires investment/development and crucially recognition for technical staff

in areas such as Music, Journalism and Arts based subject areas. The IST is a Professional Body that I believe will play an important

role in promoting tomorrows’ professionals in all fields.’

Kuldip Singh  – Technical Support Manager, School of Music, Humanities and Media, University of Huddersfield.

What is the value of professional registration?

• Registration captures what you already know and do – not re-training

• Demonstrate you also maintain the knowledge and competence you’ve developed over many years

• Recognition for the role you're in now, as well as a framework to support your future career development

• Demonstrate your professionalism to employers, colleagues and clients

• Registration is transferable across industry sectors – good for mobility

• Become part of a broader community of scientists working across a huge range of sectors and disciplines

Activity in two partsThe professional journey is more important now than

perhaps ever before. How can we engage technicians to take up the professional registers scheme?

Part A: Discuss and identify as a group (your table), three ways we can engage technicians in the professional registration scheme (include reason). (6 Minutes)

Activity resultThe professional journey is more important now than perhaps ever before. How can we engage technicians

to take up the professional registers scheme?

Part B: Share your answers with everyone – use flip chart paper to write the three key ways to engage technicians (include reason) and place it on the wall. (5 Minutes)

Summary• The IST• Prepare for the changes and challenges• Recognition and professional standing• Engagement in learning, development and training –

crucial in the professional journey• Develop and enhance your career prospects

Contact usThe Institute of Science & Technology (IST)Kingfisher House, 90 Rockingham StreetSheffield S1 4EB

Tel: 0114 276 3197Fax: 0114 272 6354Email: office@istonline.org.ukWeb: www.istonline.org.uk

RSci and RSciTech awards through the

IST

RSci CompetenciesRegistered Scientists are expected to demonstrate, through a combination of their knowledge and experience, the ability to:• Identify and use relevant scientific understanding, methods

and skills to address broadly-defined, complex problems• Exercise personal responsibility in planning and

implementing tasks• Demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal

skills• Apply appropriate theoretical and practical methods• Demonstrate a personal commitment to professional

standards

www.sciencecouncil.org

RSciTech CompetenciesRegistered Science Technicians are expected to demonstrate, through a combination of their knowledge and experience, the ability to:• Identify and use relevant scientific understanding, methods

and skills to complete tasks and address well defined problems

• Exercise personal responsibility in planning and implementing tasks according to prescribed protocols

• Demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills• Apply appropriate theoretical and practical methods

according to protocol• Demonstrate a personal commitment to professional

standards

www.sciencecouncil.org

Demonstrating CompetenciesApplicants should demonstrate competencies using examples of their own work:• Explain what they did• Explain why they did it• Explain how they did it

Demonstrate they have working knowledge and understanding of the things they do or have done within their role.There is guidance which gives examples of the types of tasks which are relevant to the different competencies

www.sciencecouncil.org

The full CPD standardsIn order to retain the award, Registrants must:

1. Maintain a continuous, up-to-date and accurate record of their CPD activities;

2. Demonstrate that their CPD activities are a mixture of learning activities relevant to current or future practice;

3. Seek to ensure that their CPD has benefited the quality of their practice;

4. Seek to ensure that their CPD has benefited the users of their work (employee, customer, student etc);

5. Present a written profile containing evidence of their CPD

Question & Answer Session

The professional journey is more important now than perhaps ever before. How can we engage technicians to take up the

professional registers scheme?

• Identify and collect ideas

Some fundamental changes

Workplace

Technology

Regulations

Organisations

Communication Media

Locations

Business models