The IST is 75 this year – and we are delighted to report that we are still going strong!
Having been established in 1948, we have been working hard over the last 74 years to support and enhance the opportunities available to the technical workforce and whilst we have undergone many changes over the years our mission remains as clear and focused, with our efforts to achieve our aims being just as purposeful and determined.
In more recent years we have added professional registration to our portfolio of support services, having become licenced by the Science Council to award to the Registered Science Technician (RSciTech), Registered Scientist (RSci) and Chartered Scientist (CSci) registers. We also provide a registration framework for non science-based technical personnel via our Registered Practitionar award, ie. MIScT(Reg) and FIScT(Reg) and we are working with the creative technologies to provide them with a professional framework that will support technical staff working in the creative sectors.
In recent times we have introduced a couple of new network groups, which are very active and provide great events and networking opportunities for our members, ie. the AI SIG and the Women in Tech group. We have also developed strong links with a variety of organisations and initiatives and value our connections with the Natational Technician Development Centre (NTDC), HEaTED, the Science Council, the Technician Commitment, Midlands Innovation and a number of our fellow Licenced Bodies….to name but a few.
We actively encourage our members to get more involved with us, particularly with respect to our governance (ie. Executive and Advisory Boards), our publications (eg. the Journal, the TechMag), our very successful annual Conferences and our activities associated with supporting professional registration. If, as a member, you feel that you would like to become more involved in any way please just contact us, we will be delighted. As a not-for-profit organisation we rely on volunteer support and our members are our key asset. We greatly appreciate all their support, at all levels!
We will be looking at various ways throughout the year in which we can celebrate our 75th anniversary and would like to express our sincere appreciation of all the support that we have received over the years and into the next 75 years!
Watch this space for more information about what we will be doing in our 75th year.