Technician Development Framework
What is the Technician Development Framework?
The Technician Development Framework is a ‘How-To Guide’ to Design and Deliver Effective Development Programmes for New and Existing Technical Staff’, designed to provide clear, sector-specific guidance to support the strategic development and delivery of effective apprenticeship, trainee and intern programmes within the HE sector for new and existing staff.
This framework has been:
- Based on best practice
- Further developed with reference to changes brought about by the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy
- Improved through discussions with HEI partners and ‘tested in practice’ with an HEI currently setting up a university-wide scheme
It focuses on the key end-to-end processes/stages needed to develop and deliver an effective and successful programme, including timelines, templates and links to key external guidance.
The framework aims to:
- Work alongside, and in support of, current and future guidance on apprenticeships, regulated by the UK Government.
- Bring coherence and consistency to the current plethora of approaches to non-regulated traineeships
- Highlight how programmes can support and become integrated with Professional Registration.
It provides guidance for the creation of a programme that requires senior engagement yet also seeks the involvement and engagement of people at all levels in the development and delivery of the programme; successful implementation requires the involvement and engagement of staff at all levels.
A Note of Caution: At the time of going to press (July 2017) the apprenticeship programme is just being implemented. Much of the guidance has only recently been finalised and we are entering a period where the systems, processes and regulations are being live-tested. We can therefore expect that there may be some adjustments to the guidance which will be reflected in future versions.
Definition of Terms: A full definition of terms and useful resources
Why has the Technician Development Framework been developed?
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have historically struggled to develop and deliver effective development programmes for technicians. Development tends to be locally organized and managed and often ad-hoc rather than strategically planned and delivered. (This is changing, but slowly.)
In addition, whilst HEIs have run apprenticeships to bring in new talent and some have run traineeships, experience tells us that there was little central co-ordination, limited consistency in delivery and many were only effective because of the dedication of the staff, not because of an effectively developed and delivered scheme.
If the technical workforce is to deliver the needs of the sector, now and in the future, a more strategic and effective approach to development is needed.
We believe that the new approach to apprenticeships along with the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy provides an opportunity to encourage a more strategic and effective approach to development of technician staff at all levels to meet individual and business needs. This work is enhanced if carried out alongside: