Gillian Milne from the Microscopy & Histology Core Facility at the Institute of Medical Sciences joined more than 170 technicians from across the country for a celebrated national leadership event.
The Herschel Programme for Women in Technical Leadership, is designed to tackle the workforce imbalance and the equality gap within the UK’s technical community.
Held at Church House, Westminster, in July 2022, staff from 53 higher education and research institutions from across the UK took part.
Gillian, who has worked at the University for 19 years, said: “I was absolutely delighted to take part in this this UK wide programme. It was a fantastic experience and great for building my confidence within leadership. Walking into the room where more than 170 fellow technicians were gathered after six months of online sessions felt truly amazing. This has been a great opportunity to network and learn from the experience of others. Technicians carry out many vital roles within higher education and research so programmes like this are central to supporting their careers and visibility.”
Co-created with technical and organisational development experts to address topics specifically relevant to women in technical roles, the programme, named after Caroline Herschel - a pioneer in the discovery of comets and an early ‘technician’, set out to elevate and advance career opportunities for current and aspiring leaders who identify as women.
The event, the first of its kind in the UK, was delivered by the University of Nottingham and Research England funded Midlands Innovation TALENT.
More information about the Herschel Programme for Women in Technical Leadership can be read here.