Flexible Talent Mobility Award Scheme (FTMA)
The Flexible Talent Mobility Award (FTMA) is a pioneering scheme that promotes the movement of researchers and technicians either from or to the John Innes Centre.
To help address the gap between academic and industrial research, BBSRC has provided several institutions with a small amount of funding, for Innovation Fellowships, to help researchers and technicians move out of academia and into industry and by enabling industry to undertake innovation research placements in an academic setting.
The aim is to allow skills to be transferred between two working environments.
The scheme also has an international branch which promotes researchers travelling abroad as well as an industrial side, that organises exchanges between organisations. The aim of the programme is to encourage the sharing of ideas, broaden individual’s perspectives and provide experience for future careers.
For researchers and technicians in an academic setting, making the transition to working in industry or internationally can be a challenging one.
A difference in research priorities and ways of working can mean that candidates often don’t have the experience to make the move. However, the skills and expertise developed through undertaking a PhD and Postdoctoral positions can make a valuable contribution to industry and internationally. This is one of the key ways in which investment in research has beneficial impact on industry and the economy.
If you are interested in getting involved in the scheme, speak to Karen Rushmer.