ANALYSIS: SKILLS SHORTAGE


network among themselves and with the speakers and experts in areas of human resources, innovation and technology transfer, academic programmes, student chapters, as well as organisations working to promote diversity among groups such as gender, LGTBI and disabilities.


Awareness of photonics careers increased Information about the attendees and their opinions was collected before and after the camp. The profile of the attendants was diverse in terms of gender, stage of their career and cultural backgrounds. 52 per cent identified themselves as women, 47 per cent as men, and one per cent as non-binary. More than 30 countries were represented. 58 per cent of attendees were university students (undergraduate and master), while the rest were PhD students, early-stage postdocs or were in other situations such as returning from a career break.


Half of the attendants had had no previous experience in photonics, and for those who had, it was primarily from within the academic ecosystem. On average, attendees gave the Carla camp a 4.44 point rating out of 5. The degree to which they were aware of the options available within a photonics career increased from a starting score of 2.96 to 4.02, reflecting the positive impact of the camp. Beyond these scores, it is


interesting to point out the objectives that the attendees had for participating in a Carla camp. We found that attendees were largely focused on networking and gaining a better understanding of the field of photonics in general, and the professional opportunities it offers. Feedback indicated that events such as the Carla camp can meet such expectations. The guided networking sessions, where participants met and talked with speakers and experts in smaller groups, were especially appreciated.


One master’s student said: ‘Guided networking with experts was awesome.’ Another undergraduate student said: ‘I’m quite surprised about how interesting, useful and motivational it has been. I didn’t expect it to be so cool.’ In general, the camp was perceived as ‘an amazing platform to get glimpses of the landscape, current photonics trends and opportunities’, reflecting the intention behind the design and implementation of the camps. In summary, university students and early-stage researchers need this type of event. They crave information about the career opportunities that training in a deep-tech industry, like photonics, can offer. They are eager to start building a network both with peers and with experts. If we want the photonics workforce to grow according to the needs of the ecosystem, we need to make it visible to all of the potential workforce. To achieve this, we need to provide a space


where they can connect with the community, and give them tools to be more employable. Instilling a sense of belonging to a community, in this case the photonics community, enhances the chances of engaging talent in career paths in this field. Competition is tough. We are competing for talent at the global level with many scientific and technology fields. If we want to succeed in bringing the best diverse minds to photonics, we need to proactively court them through more specialised career development events like the Carla camps. Carla receives funding from


the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871457. EO www.carlahub.eu


Lydia Sanmartí-Vila, Silvia Tognetti, Federica Beduini and Silvia Carrasco are based at the ICFO-Institut de Ciències Fotò- niques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology


PRECISION MOTION SYSTEMS FOR SENSOR TESTING Benefits of Aerotech sensor testing


solutions include:


ARMS family of rate tables


•High-precision single- and multi-axis rotary and linear test platforms


• Direct-drive technology for ultra-smooth motion with zero backlash


•Velocity stability to 0.0001%


• Slip rings and rotary union joint options • Motion Designer software to graphically define and analyze motion trajectories


• Advanced control features such as Harmonic Cancellation and Iterative Learning Control to optimize your process


ACT family of linear actuators


AMG family of gimbals


Visit uk.aerotech.com or Call +44 1256 855055


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38