Practical Classes

The technical support available to taught Undergraduate and Postgraduate project students

Services include...

Management of specialist areas (laboratories, classrooms, teaching workshops, Observatory, studios, glasshouses, experimental plots and theatres) where taught UG and PG carry out their projects *

Preparation for project

• Consulting academics on project content (initiated by School staff)
• Consulting students on project content (initiated by students)
• Placing orders for authorised equipment/consumables*
• Providing student PPE supplied by the School or purchased by the student

During project

• Inducting, using Local Rules, of students into specialist areas*
• Training against SOPs for safety critical equipment*
• Training against safety critical procedures*
• Core equipment training*
• Training on general procedures and more specialist techniques and equipment*
• Advising and assisting with problem solving
• Identifying and ordering specialist materials and equipment*
• Predefined availability for assistance during projects*
• Operating specialist equipment and instruments*
• Providing access to adequate sample/material storage if required*
• Providing access to teaching collections if required
• Advising on item restocking, equipment failure, clarification of items available or equipment configuration

After project

• Guidance on disposal/removal of project materials

Management of project areas

• To provide annual teaching equipment status report and inform when equipment is time served/beyond repair
• Perform /organise programmed maintenance, calibration, data collection and monitoring of defined teaching equipment*
• Organising repair and maintenance by external engineers*

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

• Creation of risk assessments for projects
• Supervision unless part of a rota with School staff
• Training and support of work experience students
• Training and support of any visiting students (e.g. external UG students) beyond 0.5 day

WHAT WE NEED FROM OUR SERVICE USERS

• 6 months' notice of significant changes to technical resource requirements for project students (may result from changes in student numbers)
• 2 weeks' notice of technical support requirements for each project student
• 2 weeks' notice of project proposal and associated information
• Risk assessment relating to each project provided to the Technical Manager 2 weeks before the start of the project
• Access to account codes for ordering project items