We've secured over £700,000 from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to help more young people access technical careers in environmental science.
The project, 'Reimagining Pathways into Environmental Science through Showcasing Technical Careers', is creating new opportunities for T Level students in North East England.
Working with local colleges, industry and partners, the project will offer work placements for T Level students, helping to build the skilled workforce needed in our region and beyond.
Events and collaborative activities will also take place throughout the two-year project to raise awareness of technical careers and promote the pathways available to T Level students.
Vital work behind the scenes
The Reimagining project is unusual as it is being led by our technicians themselves, rather than by academics and researchers.
University technicians provide specialist skills and practical expertise that support teaching, research and student learning.
They play a vital role behind the scenes, helping students and researchers turn ideas into real world application.
The project aims to help T Level students better understand the range of technical careers available to them and give them valuable experience in a sector facing growing demand for skilled workers.
It will also evaluate and embed learnings to positively influence T Level policy and curriculum development.
Building on a successful pilot
The project is now entering its second phase following a successful nine-month pilot.
During the first stage, technical staff across the University worked with regional colleges to better understand the opportunities and barriers facing young people considering technical careers in environmental science.
Together, they identified ways to make these career pathways more visible to students, with a particular focus on improving access and supporting social mobility across North East England.
The pilot led to the creation of a Technical Champions Forum, bringing together University staff from multiple disciplines, including geography, archaeology and engineering.
Neil Tunstall, Senior Geotechnical Experimental Officer in our Department of Geography, is the project's lead.
He said: "Environmental science needs talented people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
"By working closely with colleges and regional partners, we're creating new opportunities for young people to explore technical careers, develop valuable skills and see the important role they can play in building a more sustainable future right here in the North East."
Supporting technical talent
The Reimagining project builds on our wider work to champion technical professionals and strengthen technical career pathways.
We recently helped deliver the Technical Opportunities (TOP) pilot with the University of Salford, King's College London, the British Geological Survey and the UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy (UK ITSS).
TOP created new opportunities for technicians to develop their skills through mentoring, job shadowing and specialist workshops.
We've also been a signatory of the Technician Commitment since 2019: a national initiative to improve the visibility, recognition, career development, and long‑term sustainability of technicians in higher education and research.
Main image shows the launch event for stage two of the Reimagining Pathways project. Picture credit: Alexander Jansen (Department of Archaeology).
