Technicians from under-represented and minority groups can apply for funding for placements/link-visits to partner universities or industry, under the new Change Maker scheme.

The Change Maker scheme (part of the STEMM-CHANGE programme) will offer up to 30 placements for technicians who wish to shadow senior colleagues and broaden their skills and experience in a new working environment. Each placement will last 2-4 days in length over a period of months (on a flexible basis).

Representative activities include observing colleagues in leadership positions, learning new skills, (both technical and transferable) and exposure to discussions on careers and opportunities in order to broaden horizons and demonstrate achievable career paths. Technical colleagues may shadow and link with other technical colleagues or those from other career paths in senior leadership positions from our project partners within higher education, industry and beyond.

Pilot phase – how to apply

10 placements will be piloted this year, with visits to take place between April and November 2019.

For the pilot phase of the initiative, applications are welcomed from members of the University of Nottingham Technical Services Job Family (from any level) who are from an underrepresented and/or minority group.

The project aims to create opportunities for all minority groups highlighted in the Equality Act 2010 and see a particular need to create spaces for the following consistently underrepresented groups within technical management and leadership teams:

• Female colleagues
• Disabled colleagues
• Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) colleagues
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT+) colleagues

Placements are available both internally at the University of Nottingham and across the consortium of project partners. More information, including a list of project partners, can be found in the programme brochure. Funding covers travel, subsistence and accommodation to facilitate the placements/visits. Funds to cover additional caring costs incurred by participation in the programme are also available.

Two types of application will be considered:

1. From a technical colleague who knows the contact that they want to conduct the link-visits/placement with.
2. From a technical colleague or their manager who want their staff member to learn or experience a particular technique/skill but are unsure as to how to identify the placement. In this case, the STEMM-CHANGE team would seek to place the applicant with an appropriate host.

Application forms are available at nottingham.ac.uk/technicians. All applications should be submitted to kelly.vere@nottingham.ac.uk by 5pm, Friday 12 April 2019.