Working for St John Fisher Catholic School
St. John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School has a proud history of educating our local Medway community. Established in 1964, we are the only Catholic secondary school in the local authority. One of seven secondary modern schools in the area, we are a diverse community, proud to educate Catholic students as well as those of other faiths and none.
Our students often refer to us as their second family, and it is a great place to work.
Our community of staff is incredibly supportive of each other, and our personalised CPD programme means that everyone’s career development is supported in a way that is specific to them. We are passionate about work-life balance, finishing lessons early on a Wednesday afternoon so that CPD and meetings can largely take place during normal school hours, and we provide counselling services free of charge to those who need them.
The school is looking to appoint a Laboratory Technician Apprentice to join the excellent Science faculty to continue the positive trends of results for pupils. Two real strengths of the team are the sense of openness and willingness to assist one other. Resources are shared between staff, as well as tips and tricks on pedagogy and experiments/ demonstrations to promote good understanding.
The Package
Starting salary: £7.55 per hour
Working hours: 37 hours per week, Monday - Friday (8am - 3.30pm) - term time only
Strong public transport links & on-site parking available
Regular training and CPD opportunities
What will I be doing a Laboratory Technician Apprentice?
Working with the Senior Science Technician, your role will be to co-ordinate the use of practical resources and facilities and help and advice in meeting the practical needs of the science curriculum, including liaising with teaching staff and support staff outside the department.
You’ll support with the design, development and maintenance of specialist resources and/or long-term project and offer professional guidance, assistance, and support to pupils and teachers on the practical aspects of the curriculum.
Supporting the technical team within the science department, including assisting in practical classes, carrying out demonstrations (if required), preparing resources, assembling apparatus.
Designing, constructing, and modifying apparatus.
Carrying out risk assessments for technician activities.
Setting up and caring for plant and animal collections.
Preparing standard solutions etc, purifying chemicals, treating waste.
Supporting the developing new procedures, processes, and resources to support curriculum and legislative changes. Keeping up to date with any changes from CLEAPSS and supporting the planning for their implementation.
Maintaining resources, ordering new stock, and keeping accurate stock records.
Ensuring the department’s resources and maintained to the required standards.
Giving technical advice to teachers, technicians and pupils/students.
What could the future look like?
There’s no limit to what you can achieve while working with St John Fisher School. Their team is at the heart of what they do, and they are looking for someone who wants to play a key part in that long term. As a successful applicant, you have the potential to secure a full-time position with the business at the end of your apprenticeship.
Through practical ‘on-the-job’ training you’ll have the opportunity to learn new skills to provide competency and responsibility in carrying out testing and to help develop your career. With this qualification, you can look forward to a range of potential career paths in scientific fields like education, construction, engineering or research and development. There is a growing demand for skilled professionals who hold this crucial laboratory experience, used in various sectors!
This apprenticeship program serves as a stepping stone towards a rewarding career in testing, with the added opportunity to become a registered Technician (RSci Tech). This enables you to take on more specialised roles or progress into leadership positions.
This apprenticeship can also help pave the way for further educational and professional advancement. You may choose to pursue higher-level qualifications through one of our Degree Apprenticeships such as Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Applied Bioscience or Applied Chemical Science.
Rest assured, your hard work and determination will be recognised!
About you
We’re looking for an apprentice who is committed to ensuring that every child at the school has access to the best possible education, by establishing positive relationships with ALL pupils.
This is a perfect opportunity for individuals who are organised and enjoy taking a methodical approach to their work, identifying priorities, and managing your own workload within agreed timeframes is an important skill for this role.
Being a team player and working as part of an effective team is important. You’ll be speaking to colleagues across the department to provide advice and working with young people from all backgrounds, so you’ll need to be confident with your communication, both spoken and written.
Be prepared for a challenge as you take on activities to ensure the needs of the school are met, whilst standards are upheld to ensure the safety of your pupils, teachers, and colleagues.
To succeed in this apprenticeship, you’ll need bags of enthusiasm, be a fantastic collaborator and be hungry to learn!
To succeed in this apprenticeship, you’ll need bags of enthusiasm, be a fantastic collaborator and be hungry to learn!
Please note, because of the nature of this position, you must live within a 45 minute commute to site, and will be required to undertake a DBS check prior to starting at St John Fisher Catholic School.