Dr Kelly Vere MBE is the University Director of Technical Strategy at the University of Nottingham and a leading advocate for technical skills and careers in higher education and research.
She began her career in 1999 as a Junior Medical Technician and now drives the strategic direction of the University’s 500+ technical colleagues. Kelly founded and leads the Technician Commitment, a sector-wide initiative promoting visibility, recognition, career development, and sustainability for technical professionals, with over 120 institutional signatories. She also led TALENT, a £5 million Research England-funded programme advancing technical careers, which included the TALENT Commission, a landmark study on the UK’s technical workforce.
A published author and researcher on technical careers, Kelly led the first book on the sector’s technical profession: Technicians in Higher Education and Research: An Insight into Technical Careers, Roles and Contributions. She has led numerous sector reports on technical professionals and established key initiatives, including the UK Higher Education Technicians Summits and Papin Prizes, The Herschel Programme for Women in Technical Leadership, The Executive Programme in Strategic Technical Leadership, a number of professional networks and TechxFest. Now leading the new UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy (ITSS), Kelly continues to champion the technical community, shaping policy and opportunities across the sector.