'Through the TC I feel that technicians have become more visible across the university.  They have joined more university committees, got a webpage and they are regularly highlighted on the main university intranet (internal) pages.  More technicians have been nominated for various awards. But most importantly we started to form and build a community across the faculties and disciplines.  That's my personal favourite thing about the Technician Commitment.'

Astrid Beckmann, Technician (Life Science, Research), Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science

'Whilst the introduction of the Technician Commitment at Swansea University came during a period of turmoil & uncertainty it has still had a big impact on the technical community to date and will continue to do so with the implementation of future action plans.

I would say technicians are more visible in the university than they were, and there seems to be a greater sense of community amongst the technicians than there was prior to TC.

Some things we are trying to change & implement via TC will be slow and take time due to their sheer scale, but even if we only manage to implement half of what we plan, it will have a big impact on technician’s career development prospects, sustainability & recognition. I would recommend any technician who is passionate about their role and improving the prospects of other technicians to get involved and have their say.'

Ben Harris, Senior Technician (Chemistry), Faculty of Science and Engineering

'The greatest impact Technician Commitment has had on technicians is the fact that we now have a voice. We have a vehicle for change. The TC working groups quickly realised that we not only had to convince Swansea University that TC was worth the effort, but it’s technicians too; We initially had to work on changing culture and more importantly, bringing technicians together and forging a community. This has been a mammoth task, and the staff involved in creating and enacting the Action Plan put in many hours of volunteering and dedication to make it happen. There is still a long way to go, but the volunteers in the working groups all know that nothing changes if nothing changes. TC has connected technicians who had no contact with other staff, made them feel part of a support network of like-minded professional technicians. Symposiums have allowed us to share information relevant to the four pillars of TC and their everyday lives at work. Symposium 2024; As a result of our TC Action Plan, we awarded the first long service awards to technicians- the first ever awarded at Swansea University in its one-hundred-year history, to any staff.  Personally, being involved in TC has allowed me to share knowledge about working practices, learn about how the different university departments, structures and initiatives connect, to have the experience working on an university- led major project, and most of all, the opportunity and pleasure to work with staff absolutely committed to an initiative for positive change.'

Wendy Clark, Senior Technician (Sports and Exercise Science), Faculty of Science and Engineering

'Since Swansea University adopted the Technician Commitment, there has been a significant increase in engagement among staff at all levels, including academic, technical, and professional services. The action plan process—setting objectives and measuring achievements—has highlighted the opportunities available for driving institutional change. This has demonstrated to the technical community and beyond that the Technician Commitment can create tangible benefits for technical colleagues across various roles, whether in frontline teaching support, research, or management.

It has been particularly rewarding to see technical staff from diverse disciplines and levels come together in working groups, task-and-finish teams, and as general contributors. Their collective efforts continue to shape and support this evolving initiative.'

Greg Barber, Technical and Laboratories Services Manager, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science

'I have worked at Swansea University for over 46 years, starting as a 16yr old trainee Electronics Technician in the then Electrical Engineering Department. Having had the opportunity to change roles and responsibilities many times over the years it has given me a valuable insight into what being a technician means at all levels across the institution. The technician community lacked a voice during my early years, was often isolated and under-represented in university committee structures. It has therefore been my pleasure to Co-Chair and help drive the Technician Commitment at Swansea since signing in 2021. The Technician Commitment has been instrumental in raising technician visibility, highlighting the crucial role our highly skilled community plays in the success of the university’s core activities. It has brought technicians together from across all disciplines and both campuses, breaking down siloed thinking often displayed in the past. We have held three successful Technician Symposiums together with regular breakfast events and workshops celebrating our collective achievements and discussing future development of our technician community. There are challenges ahead, but the Technician Commitment provides a strong platform where Technicians work together at Swansea and provides opportunity to collaborate across the wider, HE sector to promote and champion Technician careers.'

Mark Pritchard, Head of Technical, Infrastructure & Environment, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Co-Chair of Technician Commitment