Want to make a difference to young people?  

Are you ready to embark on a rewarding journey within an educational community that values increasing opportunities, improving outcomes for our students.

As a mixed comprehensive Academy with a dynamic Sixth Form, Q3 Academy Great Barr serves a vibrant and culturally diverse community of nearly 1,200 students. 

Our fantastic buildings are surrounded by open, picturesque fields and woodlands, and the Academy offers a stimulating setting for teaching and learning. Our facilities are designed to inspire, with state-of-the-art classrooms and resources that support a rigorous, knowledge-rich curriculum. This curriculum is carefully crafted to challenge students, develop critical thinkers, and prepare them for successful futures. 

Professional growth is embedded in our culture, and Q3 Academy Great Barr presents unparalleled opportunities for students and staff. If you are an individual passionate about shaping the future generation, you will be joining a community where education is valued, diversity is celebrated, and personal development is prioritised. This is a place where your talents will be valued, and your career can flourish. 

We are proud to be part of The Mercian Trust, which provides us with access to wider resources, professional development, and a network of educators focused on pioneering teaching and learning methods, including digital transformation. Join us for an opportunity to be at the forefront of a transformative educational approach that champions collaboration, innovation, and excellence in teaching and learning. 

Please visit our website to find out more about Q3 Academy Great Barr. 

Job title: DT Technician

Main purpose: To provide practical and organisational support across the Design and Technology curriculum area. This role contributes to the efficient operation of the Academy and the effective delivery of our curriculum.

• Safe usage, inspection, operation, cleaning and minor repairs maintenance of Design and Technology workshop equipment, associate tooling and hand tools. Replace serviceable items, construct and develop benching aids, jobs and fixtures and undertake planned maintenance programmes.
• Prepare a range of materials and set up machinery and equipment including special operations, for GCSE and A Level lessons, practical work, experiments, demonstrations, and project coursework as part of GCSE and A-Levels.
• Set out and clear away materials and equipment, prepare audio/visual aids as required by Academy teaching staff, and assist in the production of resource materials and teaching aides, such as worksheets, plans and drawings for classroom project work.
• Provide practical support and guidance to Academy staff in the use of materials, workshop techniques, practices and processes and recommend solutions to technical problems encountered.
• Demonstrate and provide hands on practical student instruction in correct usage and application of workshop machinery and tools, and work with students on project work in a supporting role.
• Ensure the security of equipment at the end of class activities, breaks etc. including machine ‘lock off’ and power shutdown.
• Conduct formal risk assessment of Design and Technology machinery and electrical equipment and ensure that all Health and Safety Regulations are met.
• Liaise with contractors, suppliers and County staff, check and sign off contractor’s completion of rectification, refurbishment and maintenance work.
• Support Curriculum Leaders in preparing for health and safety audits in specialist departments.
• Control stock of materials and equipment, maintain an inventory and provide guidance and recommendation for the identification, specification and purchase of Academy Design and Technology materials and equipment.
• During Academy holiday periods and as workload permits, to assist across a broader spectrum of duties, including, but not exclusively, site, administration, maintenance, supporting Reception.
• Administer first aid.
• Organise refreshments and hospitality for Academy events.
• Supporting in Food and Art when necessary to prevent pinch points.

For full details of the post please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification 

Why should you work with us? 

• Join an incredible team of friendly and supportive staff. 
• Work with our amazing students in a positive learning environment supported by a centralised behaviour system. 
• Manageable marking.  
• Supportive feedback culture with no high-stakes observations. 
• Rich culture of professional learning, with a high-quality CPD programme. 
• Fully resourced curriculum. 
• Three-week Christmas break. 
• A visible and supportive SLT. 
• Modern laptops for staff and visualisers in every classroom.  
• Connect and unwind with regular social activities 
• Access to UK Healthcare benefits, supporting your optical and dental care needs and including a free annual flu vaccination. 
• Free car parking on site. 
• Enjoy exclusive discounts and benefits through the Vivup Employee Assistance Programme. 

For further benefits, including education sector leading CPD: The Mercian Trust - What we can offer you 

Our CARE Values 

At the heart of our Academy lies a clear and compelling mission: to be the most inclusive, best-performing school in our local area. This ambition is not just a statement—it is a daily commitment that shapes our culture, our curriculum, and our relationships. 

We live this mission through our core values of CARE: 

Why The Mercian Trust? 

As one Trust we share a common purpose.  We call it our social mobility and social justice mission to change our communities through the very best equitable education.  When we get this right, it enables our children and young people to fulfil their potential, thrive in the world of work, and make a positive contribution to the local, national and international community. Our recent achievements include: 

Sustainable Growth - becoming one of the largest and most diverse trusts in the region 

Social Mobility & Social Justice - National recognition for the Trust’s two selective grammar schools who the most successful on the number of local disadvantaged students passing the entrance and joining the schools 

Increasing Opportunities – Opening brand-new purpose-built campus in Walsall Town Centre including an alternative provision for students at risk at permanent exclusion from mainstream schools alongside a Digital Skills Hub to provide professionals and employers 

Pioneering Spirit – National recognition for pioneering work around youth mental health,  

including establishing an in-house multi-disciplinary team of clinicians and allied health professionals delivering interventions and providing support to vulnerable students 

Outward Looking – Organising and hosting the region’s first Youth Suicide Conference (2023) and Youth Violence Conference (2024) at Villa Park 

Innovation and Improvement – A multi-million-pound investment in the digital infrastructure of Trust schools and our Digital Skills Hub underpinning the ongoing transformation of how staff teach, students learn, leaders lead and the whole Trust operates in readiness for the AI-supercharged careers and workplaces of the future. 

Want to be a part of something extraordinary? Find out more:  The Mercian Trust - Home 

The Mercian Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults, and all appointments are subject to enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks and satisfactory references. 

The Mercian Trust is also committed to promoting equality, challenging discrimination and developing community cohesion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.  

Please take time to read our policies attached to this advert. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Previous applicants need not apply.