Importance of Science Laboratory Technology And What They Do

SLT is one of the hottest courses in the Polytechnic especially in the school of science. And this is why I want to discuss the importance of Science Laboratory Technology and what they do for all candidates aspiring to study the course.

I know that the reason why you are reading this article is to gather enough knowledge about the course and even to know the career path. Don’t fret; I will give you all you need to make an informed decision.

The Units that makeup Science Laboratory Technology in all polytechnics are Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. 

This course can also be studied at the university and there are some universities in Nigeria offering it.

Please don’t confuse this course with Medical Laboratory Science. In Nigeria, a person that graduates with a degree or diploma in SLT is not allowed to work in medical lab i.e.  They can’t work in the clinical laboratory-like hospital or private laboratory where they carry out a variety of test

So after your graduation, your area of specialization includes:

• Applied Biology and Microbiology
• Applied Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Physics and Electronics

Importance of Science Laboratory Technology

Science laboratory technicians are involved in the roles listed below

• Standardization of Science Laboratories for teaching, research, and services.
• Laboratory Personnel Capacity Building.
• Laboratory Administration and Management.
• Laboratory Equipment Management and Maintenance.
• Laboratory Inspection, Accreditation and Certification.
• Laboratory Building and Infrastructure Design.
• Laboratory Chemical and Reagents standardization and certification.
• Development of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Science Equipment and Procedures.
• Development of Science and Technology Education Teaching Aids.
• Research into the production, standardization, and use of laboratory chemicals and reagents
• Maintains contact with Overseas Science Equipment Manufacturers and also maintain a database of such.
• Operate and maintain standard science laboratory practice for secondary school pupils training in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology
• Consultancies on science laboratory development, equipment procurement, projects, and laboratory services
• Laboratory Equipment Design and Fabrication

What SLT Can Do

Science Laboratory Technician can work in

• Environmental health institution where they may involve in food analysis to protect public health or water industry where they can be involved in water analysis.
• Secondary school and the tertiary institution as science teachers or help in biology or chemistry laboratories as a technologist.
• Establish research laboratories for food and water analysis for public health protection.

Some of the career options you can choose from are Pathologist, Biological Technician, Chemical Technician, Laboratory Technician, etc.

Salary of Science Laboratory Technology in Nigeria

The salary varies depending on where you are working. If you are working with the Federal Government or State Government, your salary will differ however, you will start from level 8. This means you will be collecting remuneration that is due to a level 8 staff.

In summary, there is no clear cut on the average salary but you can have it at the back of your mind that wherever you may likely to work, your salary will be more than N60,000