Summary
Several departments support the apprenticeship programme and you could potentially work within the Fingerprint Bureau, Fingerprint Development Laboratory, Major Crime Laboratory, Forensic Scene Investigation (including Crime Scene coordinators), Drugs Laboratory, Video Imaging Team and Digital Imaging Reconstruction Team.
Wage
£24,675 a year
West Midlands Police – Grade 2 Currently £24,675 - £25,140
Training course
Laboratory technician (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm. Total hours per week: 36.5 hours per week
36 hours 30 minutes a week
Possible start date
Wednesday 1 October
Duration
1 year 9 months
Positions available
2
Work
As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.
What you’ll do at work
As a Forensic Apprentice, your role would include but not be limited to the following responsibilities:
* To support and work within an established Quality Management System. The laboratory has accreditation to ISO17025 in accordance with UKAS requirements
* Ensure compliance with the Forensic Science Regulator Codes of Conduct and Practice and ISO 17020 accreditation quality standards.
* To receive, record and prioritise work in line with Standard Operating Procedures in order to achieve the teams agreed performance indicators, objectives and deadlines
* To operate the force case management systems to record, update and case track all activities on submissions
* To carry out sequential treatments for routine crime as defined by the CAST guidelines within the Fingerprint Development Laboratory
* To help administer the Forensic Imagery System within departments that use it.
* To maintain the West Midlands & Warwickshire Police portions of the National Fingerprint Database within the Fingerprint Bureau
* To ensure the integrity and continuity of all evidence is maintained
* To ensure good practice relating to Health and Safety, Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) and Fire Prevention Regulations within teams.
* To maintain a clean, operational work environment
* To attend and pass any appropriate training courses linked to your apprenticeship qualifications and apprenticeship role
* Understand and follow Digital Forensic good practice methodologies (ISO17025 standard and ACPO Principles of Digital Evidence) to acquire and process imagery-based evidence.
* To undertake dynamic risk assessments and ensure correct Health and Safety procedures in line with the WMP H&S Policy and Forensic Scene Investigation Risk Assessments.
* To provide general support to the Digital Imaging and Reconstruction Team and Crime Scene Coordinator Team in relation to quality assurance and in-line with anticontamination guidelines.
* To support the Digital Imaging and Reconstruction Team with the processing and creation of 2D/3D Reconstruction/Presentation of crime
Where you’ll work
Ridgepoint House
Bromford Lane
Birmingham
B8 2RU
Training
An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
College or training organisation
CSR SCIENTIFIC TRAINING LIMITED
Your training course
Laboratory technician (level 3)
Equal to A level
Course contents
* Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
* Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
* Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
* Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
* Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
* Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
* Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
* Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
* Complete documentation proficiently
* Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
* Contribute to the preparation of reports.
* Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
* Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
* Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
* Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
* Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
* Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
* Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
* Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results
* Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
* Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
* Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
* Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
* Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
* Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
* Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
* Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
* Complete documentation proficiently
* Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
* Contribute to the preparation of reports.
* Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
* Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
* Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
* Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
* Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
* Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
* Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
* Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results
Your training plan
Through the training provider, CSR Scientific Training, you will undertake a Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship which will include:
* Fully recognised apprenticeship qualification - Level 3 Laboratory Technician
* On-the-job competency training
* Training will be delivered online with occasional site visits by a vocational skills coach to assess you in the workplace.
Upon successful completion, apprentices can apply for professional registration as a Registered Science Technician, RSciTech, with either the Royal Society of Chemistry or Royal Society of Biology.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
* Any / Other Subject (grade 4/C or above)
* Any / Other Subject (grade 4/C or above)
* English (grade 4/C or above)
* Maths (grade 4/C or above)
* Science (grade 4/C or above)
A Level in:
* Any Science Subject (grade C or above)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* IT skills
* Attention to detail
* Organisation skills
* Problem solving skills
* Administrative skills
* Analytical skills
* Logical
* Team working
Other requirements
The apprentice will need to: Demonstrate excellent interpersonal, communication and organisational skills. Demonstrate excellent presentation skills. Demonstrate a practical approach to problem solving and a willingness to accept responsibility. Have good team working skills, and be able to work as part of a diverse teams. Have good time management skills and be keen to deliver work in a timely and accurate manner. Apprentices will need to be socially and emotionally mature enough to work in a fast paced and professional laboratory environment. They will be cooperative and flexible and be able to maintain professional relationships with colleagues and external customers. The apprentice must have a real interest in science and be willing to learn new skills as well as have a professional and mature approach to work. Able to tolerate potentially unpleasant situations or imagery.