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School Lab technician

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
Hiya,

Following on from my scientific jobs thread, just wondering if anyone has any experience or knows anything about being a school lab technician (for the science department).

Its what I really fancy doing, I don’t know why its just one of those things that really appeals. I plan in a couple of years to do a pgce in secondary science but at the moment just need to get out of education as final year is slowly frying my brain.

I have lab experience from doing my dissertation in the uni microbiology labs but what we do is limited to preparing and pouring media, measuring pH's counting colonies, basically just your general microbiology stuff. I also have experience of using the environmental labs but that’s also basic stuff like measuring temp, content of samples a lot of working with invertebrates.

All the adverts I have seen ask for lab experience and a relevant qualification, I know I probably don’t have enough experience. I have tried asking the uni lab staff if they had any information but all I get out of them is you think you could do my job? Do you realise what it entails? (Well no that’s why im asking !!!!!) But the uni lab staff aren’t my biggest fans due to other reasons.

I don’t really know where im going with this now it’s just turned into a big rant lol. So if anyone bothered to finish reading and has any advice / info please comment.

Cheers, Mel

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If it's possible you could try and get in contact with your old science teachers and ask them if they could arrange for you to spend a day in their prep rooms with the technicians - have a look around. I think you could word your CV to talk up lab experience and school labs would only require a basic knowledge of chemistry - making up molar solutions, setting up equipment etc. Nothing as in depth as microbiology techniques anyway.

    As for the whole "so, you think you could do my job eh?" The answer to that is probably "yes I could".

    Saying that though, I applied for a job as a school science tech and never heard anything back :no:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Iv been thinking about trying to contact my old science teacher who i know wouldnt mind but i dont live in the area anymore. I tried to go on the school website but its under construction with a general email address for to school. do you think i would come across as strange sending an email to the school address for him saying im an ex pupil and could he email me back if he doesnt mind?

    i dont want people to think im some kind of psyco stalker hehe. if you dont think i would come across as s ome total wierdo how could i word it?

    cheers
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    no, i think that would be fine. or you could write a letter as that would probably be more likely to get to him - your email could get lost if you're just sending it to a general one, depending on who checks the emails and how good they are at passing them on.

    id just say that you're an old pupil (maybe put the year left) and that you're wondering if he could give you some career advice...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ooh good idea,

    it never occurs to me to write letters.

    i think i will do that now and post it in the morning :)

    cheers
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    When I was at school they had a couple of ex-pupils who were still undergraduates do this job at times so it can't be that hard to get into!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    with a scientific degree you can get into a job like that easily

    much like working as a technician for a drugs company where you just follow instruction
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i think im just nervous because im applying for my first real job in the big wide world :p

    cheers for the replies :)

    mel
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