To HLTA or not to HLTA?

When we have our termly technician meeting with the Head of Science, chem tech is always full of ideas about what 'we' or 'they' should do to improve the science department. One such idea, which he has brought up periodically over the past few years, is that all 3 technicians should become Higher level Teaching Assistants (HLTA) The idea is that this should (in theory) get us more money and might also get us recognised as academic staff, rather than support staff.

The previous HoS used to listen politely and then completely ignore 95% of everything said at these meetings, but things are changing. Our new HoS is also my HoD and he listens to technicians! At the last meeting he seemed quite interested in chem tech's suggestion, made a lot of notes, and then went to speak to HR.

Unbelievably HR are really keen on the concept and we have been asked to put together a cost/benefit analysis so they can decide whether it's worth pursuing. I thought they'd lose interest the minute pay was mentioned, but apparently not. They have said that they would only want to go forward with one technician initially but then include the others over time and the one technician they want to trial the idea with is me! Apparently I've been selected because I'm the youngest tech here so I guess they think they'll get more back long term if they invest in me.

The thing is, I'm not sure if I want to be a HLTA.

I'm a technician. It's what I've been doing for the past 12 years. My prep room is my comfort zone and the idea of having to teach even small groups of students terrifies me. Quite apart from the fear factor I'm also concerned about what this could mean for technicians in general. Is being a technician not good enough? We are skilled people with specialist knowledge and I would never want that role to be seen as second rate and for teaching to be viewed as the only viable career option. After all that was surely the point of RSciTech - to get people to view technicians as professionals.

I need the money though. At this school there are no support staff pay scales and no additional money for taking on extra responsibilities so I am stuck on my current salary for ever. The only way I can earn more may be to go down this path, but I am really conflicted about what is the right thing to do.

It may be that HR decide the costs are too great for the potential benefits, in which case I am worrying unnessecarily. Watch this space!

A useful meeting!!

We had our regular termly technicians' meeting with the Head of Science yeaterday. My HoD was there too, because as from Easter next year he is taking over as HoS and so will be managing all 3 technicians, not just me.

It was quite a productive meeting for the most part. We highlighted the fact that since we switched to iGCSE the number of practical lessons has really increased and we are starting to get a bit frayed around the edges at times. It's been agreed that we are going to be more strict about requisitions being handed in on time. This has been a grumble of mine before and hasn't really improved over the past couple of months so we will see if a stern reminder from HoS changes anything. At least we now have his backing to refuse late requests if we are already swamped so that is a step forward.

The other main outcome is that teachers have been reminded that pupils should put equipment back where they got it from, and that teachers should be checking that everything is returned at the end of the lesson. Again this is something I've mentioned in the past so it will be interesting to see if anyone takes it seriously this time!