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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Chemical Education and Careers => Topic started by: A Canadian on May 27, 2020, 12:30:32 AM

Title: Chemistry Lab Technician
Post by: A Canadian on May 27, 2020, 12:30:32 AM
This is probably the strangest message I have ever written (or that you may have read?).

I am a retired teacher.  I taught many science-based subjects, but chemistry was my favorite.  After 2 years of retirement, I am getting bored. I have indicated on LinkedIn that I would be interested in working as a lab
tech, but alas, no luck.  Not sure if it's my age but . . . .  Or the lack of formal technology training.  Or both.

I have thought about going back to college to do a chemistry lab technology program, but not sure if it
would be worth it.  It would probably be more of an intellectual endeavor than anything else.

Any suggestions?  Would love to hear your ideas.



Title: Re: Chemistry Lab Technician
Post by: Enthalpy on May 27, 2020, 08:28:02 AM
Welcome!

Finding no position is horribly banal presently. Covid. The epidemics may be over in some countries, but the recession only begins. You don't need to search other reasons like age.

Check the unemployment figures, they are terrible, and usually these figures are gross underestimates, like GDP drop is. A better indication is the number of shops that close: earlier hint, more accurate, more reliable. Very few sectors need workforce presently, typically Amazon for their shipment department, possibly agriculture to replace foreign workers. Not exactly lab technicians.

You wrote "bored". Is that your only reason? Or do you seek a wage, a well-equipped lab, colleagues...? Because, well, unpaid work is very easy to find. Only a paid position is difficult!

If you're willing to make science at home, a chemistry lab is expensive. But other sciences and technologies are cheap. Music instruments, electrical engineering... cost little, software even less.

Many companies will disappear in the coming months, so lab hardware will be cheap. It was already so after 2008, you could get excellent used old oscilloscopes and spectrum analysers for 100€.
Title: Re: Chemistry Lab Technician
Post by: DrCMS on May 27, 2020, 08:38:59 AM
This is probably the strangest message I have ever written (or that you may have read?).

You severely underestimate the internet.

Have you considered going back to teaching part time if it is just a boredom thing? 
Or alternatively trying to get a role as a technician within a school/college?