What will this pathway qualify me to do?
Laboratory Technician (Standards) where you maintain, calibrate and verify equipment functionality for test purposes, or
Laboratory (Maintenance) where you maintain instruments and medical devices, or
Laboratory Test Technician (Quality) where you quality test manufactured products, or
Laboratory Analysis Technician where you analyse samples after manufacture, or
Laboratory Technician (Process) where you analyse samples during manufacture, or
Laboratory Technician (Metrology) where you ensure test equipment and instrumentation is appropriately calibrated to ensure accurate measurement, or
Laboratory Technician (Health Physics) where you monitor ionising radiation levels by real time measurement and by analysing dosimeter equipment, or
Laboratory Technician (Process) where you control and test petrochemical products.
What qualifications will I need to complete for the framework?
Competence: Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Laboratory and Associated Technical Activities (QCF)
Knowledge: Level 2 Certificate in Laboratory Technical Skills (QCF)
Transferable skills: Key Skills in Application of Number at Level 1
Key Skills in Communication at Level 1
Functional Skills in Mathematics at Level 1
Functional Skills in English at Level 1
Functional Skills in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Level 1
Employment rights and responsibilities: Level 2 Award
Personal learning and thinking skills (PLTS): Level 2 Award
These qualifications deliver essential knowledge which supports the fundamental scientific principles to equip you with the basic understanding required to operate effectively and efficiently within the industry. The units selected should ideally be delivered in a workplace context such as a metallurgy or processing laboratory.
How long will it take?
Depending upon your motivation and opportunities at work to practice and demonstrate competence, at least 6 months – realistically plan for 9 months.
How do I get into this?
You may have worked in the Science sector for a period and are now considering consolidating your knowledge and experience through an apprenticeship. Alternatively, you could be a school leaver who has completed your GCSE studies or in some cases relevant vocational activity such as a Young Apprenticeship or extended work experience.
Where will an apprenticeship take me?
Progression from the pathway is harder to predict as this is the first time that an apprenticeship programme has been considered as a mainstream means of training laboratory technicians. It is likely that successful apprentices will take up laboratory technician positions in industrial, petrochemical and nuclear companies carrying out a wide variety of technician job roles.
In some cases successful intermediate apprentices may be offered progression to an Advanced Apprenticeship specialising in Industrial Science or indeed some other area of activity such as Education Science or Analytical and Process Science.