Surrey based technician stars in national cinema ad to raise awareness of technician roles

The advert – live in cinemas across the country for the rest of the year – features seven real technicians, and highlights how exciting and varied their roles can be. From those helping to save lives to creating special effects for film and TV, the advert spotlights the difference technicians are making in various industries. 

The new film, created as part of the Technicians: We Make the Difference campaign, showcases the endless possibilities that a role as a technician offers in helping young people turn their natural passions and interests into a career.  

Jennifer started her career with an apprenticeship, and then landed her role as a Software Tester at McLaren Applied. The experience she gained through her apprenticeship enabled her to hit the ground running in her current role. She was the only female in her college class and is proud to be a woman working in a traditionally male-dominated sector. Through this new cinema advert and her work as a STEM ambassador, Jennifer hopes to inspire more young women to pursue a career as a technician.

Commenting on her involvement in the advert, Jennifer, a Software Tester at McLaren Applied, Woking, said: “I want to be one of the voices for the many women who may not have the confidence to work in technology or at an innovative company. It’s important to empower talented future STEM technicians to apply for technician roles and inspire the next generation of leaders.

The best part about being a technician is there’s a new challenge almost every day. My job is like solving a puzzle, it’s completely frustrating until you find the correct piece and then there’s nothing more satisfying. My hope is for everyone that sees the advert to feel encouraged. If you love engineering or STEM based jobs, there’s something for you. You just need to be dedicated, encouraged by others and given the confidence to make a difference.”

The advert will appear in cinemas nationally, opening for popular films such as Inside Out 2, Despicable Me 4 and Deadpool & Wolverine.

Helen Esposito, Campaign Manager at Gatsby Charitable Foundation, said: “Our hope is that the advert resonates with young people who are searching for a career they will find interesting, exciting and they’ll genuinely enjoy. Many people’s first thought of a technician is someone working in a lab, so we started with a Healthcare Laboratory Technician who researches cures for diseases, and then followed on with a variety of exciting technician roles young people may not know exist, from a Special Effects Technician making smoke and fire effects to a Water Process Technician recycling water for people to use every day, to show there really is something for everyone. The technicians we featured are all real technicians like Jennifer, doing real tasks they do in their job every day, giving young people a chance to see the many exciting technician roles out there, and the bonus is that they don’t need a degree to get into them.” 

Find out more about a wide variety of interesting, fulfilling, technician roles at www.technicians.org.uk. You can hear more about real life technician stories, what they do every day and why they love it – as well as trying the role finder quiz to see which role you are best suited to.