Science Technicians
Perform tests and experiments, and provide technical support functions to assist with research, design, production and teaching in the natural sciences.
A Wednesday in the school lab
You are a school laboratory technician, preparing materials and keeping the science rooms safe for a full day of lessons. It is 7:40am. The first class is at nine. Three teachers have asked for different experiments, one of the prep room's fridges has made an odd noise, and a Year 8 student is waiting at the door.
Choose what you would do. Then see what happens. There are often good reasons for each choice.
I know it's short notice, but I want to run a new experiment with my Year 11s this afternoon. I've got the idea from a video. Can you get it ready by period five? It should be quite simple.
Say yes, and prepare it exactly as the video shows, since Mr Singh has already planned the lesson
You get it ready, but the video leaves out details that matter for safety in a school setting. You catch it late and have to redo it. Videos are not risk assessments.
Say you'll check the school's approved methods and safety information first and come back
You find a safe version of the experiment that works with the equipment on hand. Mr Singh adjusts his lesson. A good technician says how, not just yes or no.
Say no, since it wasn't on the plan and there's too much to do already before the afternoon classes
You protect your morning, but Mr Singh feels unsupported and does the experiment his own way in the classroom, with less care than you would have taken.
I think I dropped something in the prep room yesterday when I was helping, and there's a bit of liquid on the floor near the sink. I didn't tell anyone because I was scared I'd get in trouble.
Tell her it's fine and not to worry, and clean it up quickly yourself before the next class
You clean it without knowing what it was, which puts you at risk. A spill whose source is unknown should be treated with care, not hurried.
Thank her, keep everyone out, find out what it was and follow the school's spill procedure
The spill is handled safely, but Ellie leaves worried and unsure if she did something wrong. A word of thanks and a clear explanation would have helped her.
Thank her, keep everyone away, identify the liquid from the labels and handle it safely
It turns out to be a harmless cleaning liquid, and Ellie is relieved. She tells her friends about the lab. People who feel safe to speak up make a lab safer.
The school's budget is tight this term. I've been asked to cut spending on lab supplies. Where do you think we could save money without hurting the students' learning or safety?
Suggest cutting back on safety equipment, which is expensive and rarely used in a normal term
The money is saved until the day it matters, and then the school has none. Safety equipment is not where to economise.
Show her the records of what is used and left over, and suggest sharing bulk orders
Ms Rossi finds that a few items are overordered, and the savings are real. The students lose nothing. Good records give you good options.
Say you can't help because the budget isn't your job and you have enough to do
You stay out of the problem, but Ms Rossi makes cuts without your knowledge of what is used. Your insight would have helped.
How it went
The experiment was made safe, a spill was handled and a tight budget got a smarter plan. Science technicians keep experiments and field work running by being careful, organised and quietly in charge of safety. Would you like being the person who makes a lesson possible?
This is a simplified, fictional situation to help you explore. It is not professional instruction or a test of your ability.
Case study: The cupboard that nobody had checked
A fictional case set in a school science laboratory and prep room, supporting teachers and students through the school week.
The situation
Zainab was the laboratory technician at a secondary school. During the holidays, she began a tidy-up of the chemical storeroom, a job that was always put off because it was dull and the school was busy. Behind some boxes she found several old bottles with faded labels and a few containers she could not identify. The new term started in three days, and a Year 10 class was planning a practical that relied on that room.
What they did
Zainab did not open anything or guess. She photographed the bottles, closed the storeroom and told the science coordinator that evening. She checked the school's safety records and rang the licensed disposal service. She kept the room locked until the unknown items were collected, and she moved the Year 10 practical to a different room. She then made a new list of everything stored and when each item had last been checked.
How it turned out
The disposal team removed the old bottles safely the next week. The practical went ahead with a day's delay, and the teachers were glad to have a proper list. Zainab put a yearly check on the school calendar, which had never been there before.
What would you do?
- Why do you think she photographed the bottles rather than looking more closely?
- How would you feel about a job where doing it well means that nothing happens?
- Would you enjoy making a lesson work by being the person behind the scenes?