A £3m project to share cutting-edgetechnical skills with businesses, councils and charities across the Eastern region has been launched.

TheTechnical Platform for Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (T-PIKE) will provide opportunities for technicians to gain vital skills, unlock training, and upskill industry partners.

Itwill focus on two themes:AI, Digitisation and Data,and Engineering Net Zero.

The projects runsacross the Eastern Arc, which brings together colleagues from the University of East Anglia with the Universities of Essex, Kentand Sussex. It will be led by technicians, who will identifyplacements, design research and championtechnical careers through engagement projects. They will also develop training that will be shared with the wider community.

The programme has been funded by a £1.5million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with further support provided by the host universities and key industry partners.

Focusing on knowledge exchange activities, university technical staff will gain new skills from the private sector while sharing their knowledge and experience.

As part of the programme, experienced staff will train new stafflooking to kickstart their careers as the technicians of the future, ensuring sustainability of the profession.

T-PIKE will launch in April and initially run for four years.

T-PIKE will form part of a wider £16 million investment by EPSRC into Strategic Technical Platforms that align with the UKRI's Research England funded TALENT project, and the Institute for Technical Strategy and Skills (ITSS), which have gathered new strategic insights into the UK's technical workforce in higher education and research.

Matthew Bennett, a UEA technician, is co-investigator on the project and will form part of the leadership team along with technical leads and champions at each of the Eastern Arc universities.

He said:

"This funding is a first for technicians across the Eastern Arc Research Consortium. It follows significant national initiatives funded by UKRI highlighting the essential and vital role of the technical community.

"The project will crucially provide opportunities for the technical community to share and showcase their expertise, skills and knowledge with industry partners whilst developing technical careers."

Brian Reid, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation,said:

"The T-PIKE award will be an amazing springboard to develop our technicians and enhance their careers.

"Our technicians are integral to our research, innovation and teaching, REF, KEF and TEF, and I am delighted that through our Eastern ARC partnership we have secured this resource to support them."

The work supports our Technician Commitment, developing visible, recognised technical careers that are sustainable and aspirational.