The University of Nottingham is a member of the Midlands Innovation consortium, along with seven other universities across the Midlands. Midlands Innovation is a research and innovation partnership, combining the collective excellence of leading universities in the heart of the UK. They unite the power of university research with the unique strengths of Midlands industry to drive cutting-edge research, innovation and skills development.

As a partnership founded on supporting research excellence, Midlands Innovation recognises that ensuring recognition and opportunity for its technical community helps all partners to achieve their aims.

The Midlands Innovation universities have over 2100 technical staff working in their institutions. Over the past decade the Midlands Innovation partnership has embarked on a programme of activities designed to increase the visibility of our technical workforce, to recognise its excellence and to work collaboratively supporting its career development.

TALENT is a project which leads and influences change to advance status and opportunity for technical skills, roles and careers in UK higher education and research. It is led by the Midlands Innovation (MI) consortium of eight universities in collaboration with key stakeholder and industry partners. It is the largest ever investment into technicians in higher education and is underpinned by a grant of more than £3 million from the Research England Development Fund.

TALENT is:

• Building an understanding of the future requirements for skilled technicians in the UK HE sector through a national policy commission
• Working collaboratively to advocate and deliver a change in culture that will raise the profile of technical careers, roles and contributions, enhancing career pathways and possibilities
• Delivering a programme of training and development opportunities for the Midlands Innovation technical community of over 2100 FTE and sharing the learning with the sector
• Advocating and developing opportunities for technicians in the HE sector, ensuring technical careers are supported, developed, respected and aspired to