Laboratory Technicians and Technologists

It is difficult for people who are interested in a career in laboratory technology to gain any direct experience through part-time employment. There are some other ways, however, to learn more about this career on a firsthand basis. Perhaps the best way is to arrange a visit to a commercial laboratory to see technicians and technologists at work at their jobs. If you can't visit a facility, try to line up an information interview with a technician or technologist. Another way to learn about this kind of work in general, and about the training required in particular, is to visit an accredited school of laboratory technology to discuss career plans with an admissions counselor at the school. You can also contact the sources listed at the end of this article for more reading material on laboratory technology or visit their Web sites. High school science courses with laboratory sections will give you exposure to some of the kinds of work you might do later in your career.

To learn more about biotechnology, contact the associations listed at the end of this article. Additionally, the Biotechnology Industry Organization provides detailed information about biotechnology on its Web site, https://www.bio.org/what-biotechnology.

Participate in competitions that are offered by professional associations, youth organizations, and other entities. For example, the Technology Student Association (https://tsaweb.org/competitions) offers 40 competitions for high school students, including those in Biotechnology Design, Data Science and Analytics, and Technology Problem Solving.