How long have you been working at Swansea University?
I have been working at Swansea University for 10 and a half years, initially as a technician in the Geography department and more recently as a senior technician (Geography and Physics).
What did your route to becoming a technician at Swansea University look like?
I have always had an interest in science, nature and the environment and left university with a degree in marine biology. During my career I have always worked in or around laboratories, in a variety of roles – none of which involved marine biology!
My first job after leaving university was as a technician in a soil testing laboratory, undertaking physical/chemical testing of soil samples. I had a brief spell as assistant laboratory supervisor, and after about a year I left to work in another testing laboratory.
It was with this second laboratory that I gained a good grounding in what technical laboratory work looks like in an accredited and regulated commercial environment. The laboratory analysed samples (potable water, effluent, sewage sludge) for water companies and other industries. I started working in the organic chemistry department and over the years held several roles both in the laboratory and quality department, including laboratory technician, analytical chemist, assistant quality manager, senior chemist and senior analyst.
My job prior to joining Swansea University was as the quality assurance manager of a laboratory specialising in the analysis of hair samples for the detection of drugs of abuse, providing drug and alcohol hair strand testing to legal and social work professionals, as well as to government and business for employment testing. Eventually, following a number of changes in this business, the decision was taken to close the laboratory operation and, despite being offered relocation elsewhere in the UK, I decided to take redundancy.
For several months after being made redundant I volunteered with The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales at Parc Slip Nature Reserve, whilst job hunting on my ‘days off’.
Opting to take redundancy felt like a bit of a gamble at the time, but it ultimately paid off as it is what led to me applying to Swansea University and being offered the role as a technician in the Geography department.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Now this is a tricky question as I can often start a day with a plan in mind, and if I manage to get 50% of it done, I’ll take that as a ‘win’.
The main purpose of our team is to provide technical support for undergraduate teaching and research activities within the FSE - Geography and Physics Departments. That ‘technical support’ can take many forms but would typically be to:
-provide technical advice
-assist in teaching laboratory/fieldwork preparation,
-maintain equipment
-demonstrate practical skills to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
We are often called upon to assist in other activities (not all of which appear in our official role profiles), for example, office redesign, furniture removal, courier services, event support services, radiation dosimetry, first aid, fire wardens, H&S advice, hazardous waste services, laboratory inductions, risk assessment support, dissertation advice/support, relocation services for large metal dragon sculptures.
It is at this point I need to mention my colleagues Jonathan Woodman-Ralph (technician-Physics), and Rhodri Griffiths (technician – Geography).
Jonathan, pretty much single-handedly, provides the technical support for the physics portfolio on a day to day basis covering activities in the Wallace and Vivian buildings.
Rhodri is the ‘go to’ in Geography for our ion chromatography and laser particle sizer instruments as well as supporting day to day activities such as preparing for laboratory practicals and field trips.
Without their efforts the technical support provided to students and staff would be greatly diminished.
Do you think there is a good community for technicians at Swansea? How do you think this community could be enhanced?
I have always found so, certainly within the Faculty. I think that ‘cross faculty’ this community feeling may not have occurred quite so naturally in day to day activities, perhaps as a symptom of the geographical separation more than anything else.
In recent years the Technician Commitment initiative has led to the annual Technician Symposium which provides an opportunity to celebrate the technician community across the University. Events like this enhance the feeling of community and provide a forum for technicians to develop and enhance cross-faculty links.
What about your outside interests?
Recently my youngest daughter (6) has developed an interest in wrestling (watching not participating). Welsh Wrestling have been putting on free shows in a local caravan park and as a result, my outside interests currently revolve around Ricky Bamba, The Dragon, Mean Tommy Dean and the rest of their grappling mates.