Press Release
- Young people will gain unique insights into the crucial but hidden world of technicians with the opening of a free, interactive gallery for 11-16-year-olds at the Science Museum
- Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery opens on 3 November, with visitors invited to try out the essential tasks that technicians perform and discover their remarkable stories
- In a world-first, visitors can step into Shuri’s Lab from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther to control the film set lighting, make lifesaving drugs as an NHS pharmacy technician, solve problems as a wind turbine technician and test their precision welding skills
- Schools and families can also take part in hands-on activities led by technicians to better understand what it’s like to be a technician.
Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery
Free, opens 3 November 2022
sciencemuseum.org.uk/technicians
Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery, a free interactive gallery for 11-16-year-olds which celebrates the vital but unseen role of technicians, opens on 3 November 2022 at the Science Museum. This innovative gallery seeks to change perceptions of technical careers and inspire tomorrow’s technicians.
Although an estimated 1.5 million technicians currently work in the UK—from archaeological technicians to veterinary nurses—too few young people aspire to be technicians or know about these roles and the pathways to them. Demand for these highly skilled roles continues to increase, with 800,000 technicians and apprentices desperately needed across the STEM sector. Recent research by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation also illustrates the need for the gallery and its potential impact, showing that, once young people know more about technicians, 71% feel that becoming a technician is achievable. The gallery will help address demand for these important roles, providing a one-of-a-kind space for young people to explore 100 different technician roles, discover more about the varied routes into these important careers and to imagine themselves as technicians.
Young people can go behind the scenes with technicians working in advanced manufacturing, creative industries, health science and renewable energy to explore where technicians work, hear their inspirational stories, and experience daily life as a technician. Visitors can handle essential items technicians use every day and try out one-of-a-kind interactive exhibits which replicate the important tasks technicians perform. Visitors can use their skills to control the film set lighting in a recreation of Shuri’s Lab from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, make lifesaving drugs as an NHS pharmacy technician, practice precision welding techniques and diagnose problems as a wind turbine technician. This is thanks to close collaboration with Marvel Studios, the NHS, National Grid, the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and many other organisations who have helped bring the essential role of technicians to life in the gallery.
Sir Ian Blatchford, Director and Chief Executive of the Science Museum, said: ‘Technicians are long overdue their time in the spotlight, as one of the country's most vital teams, driving economic growth in an amazing range of sectors. In generating excitement among 11–16-year-olds about technical roles, and challenging out-dated perceptions, this interactive gallery encapsulates our core mission of inspiring futures.
We are hugely grateful to David Sainsbury and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation for enabling the Science Museum to shine much needed light on these important career choices, particularly at a time when young people are demanding better and earlier careers advice and the chance to shape a greener and more diverse economy.’
David Sainsbury said: ‘The purpose of the Technicians gallery is to tell young people that the country now has, for the first time, a high-quality system of technical education, and to showcase the personally fulfilling and economically critical jobs which this system can enable them to take up.
It has been made possible by many people, including Sir Ian and his team at the Science Museum, the many industry partners involved, and my own team at the Gatsby Foundation. I would like to thank them all for the creativity and enthusiasm they have brought to the project.’
On entering the Technicians gallery, visitors are greeted by a large sculpture: a beautifully crafted kit of parts showcasing the critical tools and equipment technicians need to do their work. As visitors move around the five areas of the gallery, the world of technicians is brought to life through large-scale illustrations featuring technicians in a wide range of workplaces. Interactive exhibits invite visitors to experience the work of technicians by using their skills to complete a variety of tasks that technicians perform, guided by a senior technician mentor. Visitors can also touch objects made and used by technicians, from the safety harness worn by technicians high up on a wind turbine to the prosthetic leg made for a ballet dancer by engineering manufacturing technicians at Imperial College London.
Creative Industries
It is technicians in the creative industries who make the incredible scenes in blockbuster movies possible. In a world-first, visitors can step inside the reconstructed set of Shuri’s Lab from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther which forms a centrepiece of the gallery. There they can re-enact the role of a film-set lighting technician, tasked with adjusting the lighting brightness, colour and intensity to correctly light the set; work as a post-production sound technician to seamlessly match sound and dialogue to a real scene; or use the precision of a post-production visual effects technician to skilfully integrate virtual objects into the film footage. Visitors can also handle a replica of the shoulder mantle worn by Queen Ramonda in Black Panther, feeling its intricate 3D-printed detail which was crafted by technicians.
Energy Networks
A technician deep inside a wind turbine greets visitors to the energy networks area of the gallery, which reveals the technicians, often working outdoors or in extreme environments, who build, maintain and repair the networks that power our world. Visitors can turn their hand to diagnosing and solving problems as a wind turbine technician, check for faults in an electricity substation or pilot a remotely operated vehicle on the ocean floor, studying multiple camera feeds while operating the vehicle’s controls to successfully clear obstructions from an underwater trench. On the walls, large-scale graphics depict technicians working to ensure electricity reaches our homes.
Health Science
With a design inspired by the exterior of The Royal London Hospital, the health science area focuses on the role of pharmacy and healthcare laboratory technicians who create bespoke drugs for patients in NHS hospitals and prepare samples for medical research. Visitors can test their analysis and measurement skills through interactive exhibits which mimic the life-saving tasks – such as preparing an IV bag, checking medicines for contaminants and pipetting – that NHS technicians must perform with exceptional accuracy. Visitors can also feel the life-like arm of a simulation mannequin, used by technicians to train healthcare practitioners how to safely take blood from a patient.
Advanced Manufacturing
Visitors can experiment with simple coding to control a recycling robot, perfecting the movements of the robotic arm to increase efficiency in a task inspired by the use of robotics in recycling facilities. A scaled-down section of a roller coaster – made by welding technicians who create theme park rides – is displayed alongside five examples of welds which visitors can feel. Skills of precision are put to the test in the welding interactive, which encourages visitors to perform a simple weld and the more advanced weaving technique. This area also explores computer aided design and the challenges technicians face to manufacture huge wind turbine blades, with visitors able to use their problem-solving skills to correctly design a complex mould for a turbine blade.
A Future Me
This area invites young people to explore 100 technician roles, all achievable through routes such as apprenticeships and T-levels, which feature hands-on work experience as part of the course. These varied roles showcase the extraordinary breadth of technical careers on offer, providing young people with opportunities to follow their passions, skills and interests as they enter the workforce. Young people can explore the sheer variety of technical careers they could consider through illustrations of the 100 roles or use the Technicians Role Finder interactive to discover potential technician roles which are tailored to their personality and preferences. This is also available to try via technicians.org.uk.
Families and school groups can add to their visit by joining hands-on careers-based workshops led by technicians which will take place regularly in the gallery. Young people can discover what it’s like to be a technician by using real technical tools and skills to complete challenges set by the technicians themselves, from testing building materials to maintaining the museum’s interactive exhibits. Throughout the workshops, young people can put their questions to the technicians and see the impact they could make as they explore a potential future career.
Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery has been generously supported by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation (Title Funder) and will open at the Science Museum on 3 November 2022. The gallery has been designed by JAC Studios, Denmark. Graphic designer Lai Couto provided art direction for the illustrations, which were drawn by Shangomola Edunjobi.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Further information about the gallery is available to the public via sciencemuseum.org.uk/technicians. For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact William Dave on 020 7942 4429 or via william.dave@sciencemuseum.ac.uk.
Research conducted by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation was conducted by Britain Thinks in July 2022.
Visitors can watch Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in the Science Museum’s IMAX cinema.
Quotes from technicians:
- Peter Devlin, five-time Oscar nominated sound engineer and sound mixer on the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, who began his career as a sound assistant with the BBC after deciding against university, said: ‘As someone who has worked in many different areas of sound for many years and had the ultimate privilege of working as the Production Sound Mixer on the era-defining film Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, the idea that the Science Museum is offering young people the opportunity to experience the full effect of Shuri’s lab is incredibly gratifying. We worked hard as a team in every department to make this imaginary place feel as authentic as possible, and also to be an aspirational place, so it is great to know that young people will be able to experience this in person and also develop technical skills and knowledge, something very dear to the heart of Shuri. To experience the design of Shuri’s lab and the contributions from the crafts behind the camera will truly be transformative. Technical knowledge leads to creative artistry in the world of Wakanda.’
- Sujata Patel, NHS Aseptic Pharmacy Technician said: 'I work in a little-known part of pharmacy called Aseptics. We prepare life saving chemotherapy for cancer patients and intravenous nutrition for new-born babies and adult patients every day. The Technicians gallery will give us a unique opportunity to showcase the important work we do in the background in hospitals. It’s been a great journey contributing to the gallery and the team at the Science Museum have sought to really understand what we do and have come up with amazing ways to bring the roles to life and depict the precision needed in this job. I’m sure the exhibits will inform, enlighten and encourage people to pursue rewarding careers in many vital pharmacy technician roles.'
- Jade Kimpton, a National Grid technician who is training to be a substation engineer, said: ‘As we work to deliver the energy transition, we’re going to need more people from different backgrounds and with new ideas to join the energy sector in the years ahead. I’ve loved contributing to this gallery and having the opportunity to show everyone how interesting and rewarding a career as a technician can be. I hope everyone enjoys engaging with the different displays and that the exhibit will inspire more young people to pursue STEM careers’.
- Rebecca Wright, an advanced manufacturing technician, said: ‘As a technician at the AMRC I helped make other people’s jobs easier and less time-consuming, it’s a role that is constantly challenging and where you are forever learning new skills. This gallery is such a fantastic idea because now other people can see what technicians do and understand why our work is so important. It feels amazing to know that others might be inspired by what I do; I hope that young people look at me and realise they can achieve something regardless of what they look like or their background. In some ways it’s overwhelming to think my face is going to be seen by thousands of people in a public gallery, but it's certainly a real privilege.’
Further info
Accessibility in Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery
Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery is designed to be accessible to all. Philip, a Civil Engineering Technician who is Deaf, welcomes visitors to the gallery using British Sign Language (BSL) in a pre-recorded video. Each film featuring technicians is also BSL interpreted and has a hearing loop. An audio description gallery trail, developed with spoken word artist Arji Manuelpillai and in collaboration with young people, provides an alternative way to explore the new gallery. Accessible via a QR code, it features sound effects, characters and spoken word poetry to help bring the gallery to life for visitors who are blind, partially sighted, or just enjoy listening. Braille labels accompany key items that visitors can touch, with tactile maps placed at each entrance to the gallery.
The gallery is also accessible for visitors using wheelchairs, with touch items in easy reach and interactive exhibit designed for ease of use. Throughout the gallery QR codes link to additional information about
technicians. Young people are encouraged to use their mobile phones to scan the codes and find out more, with seating, free Wi-Fi and multiple USB sockets available for visitors to charge their devices.
School visits
Schools, home educators and other education groups who wish to visit can add Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery to their itinerary and book their visit via the museum website. To enhance their visits, school groups can join hands-on careers-based workshops with technicians in the gallery.
About the Science Museum
Tracing its origins from the Great Exhibition of 1851, the Science Museum has pioneered interactive science interpretation for more than eight decades and is the most visited museum in the UK by school groups. Part of the Science Museum Group, we share the stories of innovations and people that shaped our world and are transforming the future, constantly reinterpreting our astonishingly diverse collection of 7.3 million items spanning science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine. Our mission is to inspire futures - igniting curiosity among people of all ages and backgrounds.
About the Gatsby Charitable Foundation
In 1967 David Sainsbury wrote out a cheque for five pounds to establish the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. Since then, Gatsby has distributed more than £1 billion to charitable causes in fields including neuroscience, plant science, development in East Africa, public policy, and education. Gatsby’s work in education has typically mirrored and sought to address the policy challenges of the times, from addressing the uptake of engineering degrees in the 1980s, to our commitment to the improvement of the nation’s technical education and career guidance systems today. While priorities have changed and evolved, our approach has been consistent: we aim to be more than a funder. We act as an enabler for projects, working with partners in designing, developing, and, in some cases, delivering activities.
