Course attendance and part-time study to develop knowledge of a wide range of techniques is encouraged. Career development Advancement into laboratory management - planning, resourcing and supervising work, or by movement into production management, technical sales, purchasing and quality assurance or general management. The salary data was collected in Aug 99 Large private sector employers tend to pay more than smaller companies and the public sector. Some offer enhancements for postgraduate qualifications. Working hours and conditions Typically includes mainly 9-5 possibly with some extra hours Shifts and weekend work are common in factories.
Work is mainly in highly automated laboratories and production plants.
Auditing suppliers can extend hours. Jobs are quite widely available Available in most large towns and cities and some in rural areas. Lifestyle implications Work schedules are predictable but tight. On-call troubleshooting can be needed out of hours. Shift work is common in the early years.