A medical laboratory technician works in a team under the responsibility of biologists, doctors or chemists. Sometimes medical laboratory technicians also work outdoors, for example in agrochemistry. In biomedical research, they work with laboratory animals. They work in research, development, control, application technology or diagnostics in educational institutions as well as in the chemical, pharmaceutical or food industry, in federal research institutes for agriculture and in food monitoring laboratories.

The activities after the biology laboratory technician apprenticeship (Federal VET Diploma laboratory technician specializing in biology) are:

• Planning and carrying out experiments Interpreting and evaluating the data obtained
• Writing test protocols and reports
• Maintaining the laboratory infrastructure
• Experimenting with cell cultures and organisms
• Investigation of the biological effect of substances (microorganisms/plants/animals)
• Qualitative and quantitative detection of biological molecules
• Separation of mixtures
• Production of buffer and other solutions
• Operating and maintaining computer-controlled measuring devices Researching

The activities after the chemical laboratory technician apprenticeship (Federal VET Diploma laboratory technician specializing in chemistry) are:

• Analyzing and synthesizing chemical substances
• Measuring physical quantities
• Operating and maintaining computer-controlled measuring devices
• Interpreting and evaluating data
• Building apparatus
• Calculating synthesis approaches
• Separating complicated mixtures
• Manufacture of chemical substances
• Determine concentrations of mixtures
• Research
• Writing test protocols and test reports

In a laboratory technician trial apprenticeship, you can get to know the typical laboratory activities of laboratory technicians:

• Sample preparation and sampling: planning, providing and checking material, taking samples, preparing biological or chemical samples and organisms
• Laboratory experiments: determining preparations, observing changes, purifying substances, examining substances with analytical equipment
• Data processing: digitizing, creating statistics and reports, presenting results
• Production of natural or synthetic (artificial) substances, sample analysis and quality control
• Cleaning, disinfecting and disposing of toxic waste
• Always comply with regulations

You should have the following personal requirements for the chemical laboratory technician apprenticeship:

• Interest in scientific processes and mathematics
• The joy of experimenting
• good powers of observation
• Abstract thinking and imagination
• Good knowledge of German and English
• Ability to work in a team, independence

You should bring the following with you for laboratory jobs:

• Interest in research and experimentation
• Good powers of observation and the ability to think in a networked way
• fine motor skills
• Clean and precise work
• High reliability
• Interest in working with electronic devices and complex equipment
• good health and no allergies
• No color vision deficiency (depending on specialty)

You should have the following personal skills for an apprenticeship as a laboratory technician or for continuing education, further training as a laboratory technician:

• analytical skills
• Precise working method
• High quality awareness
• Hygiene awareness
• Systematic way of working
• Technical understanding

The physics laboratory technician apprenticeship lasts four years instead of just three. Physics laboratory technicians carry out physical measurements and test series with materials and systems. The focus is on planning and carrying out experiments as well as examining materials and performing quality controls.

The Scientific Laboratory Technician (AFPE) course comprises the following basic modules:

• Project management
• Health protection / occupational safety / environmental protection
• Vocational training
• English
• Working and presentation techniques
• Analytics
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Mathematics
• Paints and varnishes as a specialist module

The laboratory technician training for Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) also includes specific specialization modules.

You can become a biology laboratory technician with a Federal VET Diploma in biology. You can then continue your training within 2 years to become a biomedical analyst CHE. Biomedical analysts work independently or in a team under the supervision of laboratory managers, biologists, chemists or doctors. They can also work in various institutions and companies, e.g. in the laboratories of university clinics or hospitals, in blood donation centers, research institutes and universities as well as in medical practices or in industry.

The following subjects are covered in the laboratory assistant apprenticeship, which you should be interested in during a laboratory assistant taster course:

• Scientific basics
• English
• Applied mathematics
• Laboratory methodology
• Applied expertise

The Laborant continuing education, Federal Vocational Baccalaureate opens up new perspectives for young people. It combines vocational education and training (VET) with an extended general education. Vocational baccalaureate students thus have a double qualification: they have a profession and can present themselves on the job market. With the Federal Vocational Baccalaureate, they can also study at a University of Applied Sciences without having to take an examination. This is possible after completing vocational education and training (VET) as a full-time course or part-time as a "part-time course" or independently of school on the occasion of the federal vocational baccalaureate examinations after completing vocational education and training (VET).

You will attend vocational school one to two days a week - the rest of the time you will work in your training company "Apprenticeship as a laboratory technician". The practical training therefore takes place in laboratories in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical or textile industry, in the paint and coatings industry or in research institutes.

In a laboratory technician apprenticeship, you learn job-related things such as:

• Plan and prepare experiments and work processes
• Prepare data
• Adapt and develop methods, processes and products
• Organizing the laboratory
• Carrying out experiments and work processes in the laboratory (subject-specific)

We can recommend the following continuing education, further training for laboratory technicians:

• Courses offered by companies and professional associations as well as the Association for Continuing Education, Further Training in Laboratory Professions
• Federal Professional Examination (FPE) for Process Specialist with Federal Diploma of Higher Education
• Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education (AFPE): Scientific laboratory technician or expert in biomedical analysis and laboratory management with a federal diploma.
• College of Higher Education: qualified biomedical analyst CHE, qualified technician CHE textiles, qualified technician CHE systems engineering
• University of Applied Sciences degree programs in related fields, e.g. Bachelor of Science (UAS) in Chemistry, in Biotechnology or in Life Science Technologies

Anyone who has completed the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) for scientific laboratory technicians has sound practical and theoretical continuing education, further training and is a sought-after specialist on the job market. As this continuing education, further training as a laboratory technician takes place alongside work, the connection to the world of work is ensured without interruption. The modular course to prepare for the Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE) covers the entire professional field of the laboratory profession and follows on from the basic training level. This enables Federal VET Diploma laboratory technicians to develop their professional, methodological and personal-social skills.

If you would like to train as a laboratory technician, you have the following options:

• Federal VET Diploma laboratory technician for the various disciplines of biology, chemistry, paint and varnish or textiles
• Federal VET Diploma physics laboratory technician
• Biomedical analyst CHE, biomedical analyst CHE
• Scientific laboratory technician with a federal diploma
• Laboratory technician continuing education, further training in analytics, galenics or synthesis

Possible specialization modules for laboratory technicians at AFPE level are:

• Business administration
• Quality management
• Management techniques
• Technical English
• scientific documentation
• Analytics
• Toxicology
• organic chemistry
• Applied spectroscopy
• Mathematics and statistics