What kind of a job will I be able to get with my AAS in Biotechnology?
It is fair to say there is no “typical” job description for a Biotechnology Technician, because the broad skill base opens so many doors. Biotechnology technicians may be involved in the experimental work of basic or applied research, in the development of new products, in manufacturing, in process or analysis, or in quality control. The skills used vary from laboratory to laboratory, and include basic biochemistry, molecular biology (DNA and RNA work), protein and enzyme chemistry, immunological techniques, or plant or animal cell culture. The more of these skill areas an individual rightfully claim, the greater the opportunities for employment (and generally, the more interesting the job) Biotechnology technicians can work in universities, in private industry, in government agencies, in service laboratories. The focus of the work may be human medicine as easily as it is agriculture or environmental science. (Genetic engineering of raspberries is not all that different, at the level of DNA, from working towards and appropriate vehicle for gene therapy.)
Isn't it true that a 4-year degree is really important in this field?
If I look at job descriptions,
they all seem to say “BS degree required”. That is because traditionally, technicians
have started with a BS and then learned their technical skills on the job. It happens
that the jobs they start with are not very interesting (glasswashing, solution preparation,
inventory), and the more sophisticated techniques and skills are learned on an as-needed
basis, and when opportunities arise. The kind of training takes time, often several
years of on-the-job to acquire the skills listed in these interesting job descriptions,
and is often done by lab personnel who were themselves trained bit haphazardly. PCC
Biotech students have a strong foundation in basic and critical skills, and practice
a variety of techniques in several areas needed in biotechnology. Their education
in the laboratory is more comprehensive, and broad enough to give them access to
many lab situations.
It is true that you will ultimately have more earning power with a BS, and many of our students anticipate continuing, via our articulation agreement with PSU (discussed below). In the meantime, however, the program offers several key advantages:
Opportunity to work sooner than later, earning money and acquiring experience, with the option to continue one’s education full or part time.
Some employers offer support for continuing education. (For example, currently employees OHSU enjoy, as a benefit, dramatically reduced tuition at PSU)
Familiarity with the work environment and professionals at many levels of training and in many areas allows the student to make better choices for future directions.
Immersion in the terminology and practice of science makes upper division science courses more relevant and easier than they are for students coming up from the traditional pathway. Students coming out of the Biotech program are “further up on the learning curve.”
Finally, there some employers assume that a bachelors degree offers some assurance
you are smart and teachable. Of course, being smart an teachable are things you are,
not things given to you with a diploma, and having (or not) the money to complete
4 years of college before earning a living may have nothing to do with your intelligence
or aptitude. Employers do understand this and are learning that our students are
not only smart and teachable, but already have the skills needed to work productively
in the lab. Even at the university, where job titles are strongly linked to degrees,
employers will often change the job title if necessary to hire someone who can really
do the job.
How is this different from a Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT)?
MLTs are trained specifically for the clinical laboratory. They carry out well-defined and carefully controlled analyses of human tissues and body fluids to assist physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The Biotechnology Technician is trained in more fundamental lab techniques, and a greater variety of techniques which are used in combinations to solve problems. A biotechnology company may, for example, make the test that is used in the clinical lab by an MLT. The broad skills of the Biotechnician allow a great deal of flexibility in kind of employment, in the kinds of situations described above
What if I already have some college credit?
Previous college course work may contribute to your AAS degree in Biotechnology. The key courses rare General Biology (1 year) General Chemistry (1 year), Microbiology, Writing, General Education (three courses or 9 credits, non-science) and three credits in computer Applications (EXCEL is recommended). Consult with the Biotechnology Program Director to determine what courses will count and what you should take.
Is there any certification or licensing in this field?
No, not yet anyway. Programs to train technicians with this broad skill set are not very old, and while there is a general agreement as to the critical knowledge and skills in this area, this has not been formalized into any sort of nationally recognized certificate. The techniques and equipment used in e very rapidly in this field, so that basic skills and the ability to continue to learn are critical to employers. Furthermore, programs must be responsive to the nature of the Biotech industry in their own region. Oregon’s Biotech industry is emerging, and the majority of the jobs are in research. In other areas, manufacturing and fermentation science are key, and in others, agriculture drives the industry, and these impact the training that is emphasized in those areas.
What if I want to go on to BS degree or higher?
Our program transfers to PSU, and you can complete the course of study for a BS in Biology with two additional years of school (full-time). If you are just starting out, consider taking the 200-level General Biology and General Chemistry courses (for science majors). In particular, Chemistry must be taken at the 200-level in order to serve as a prerequisite for Organic Chem (required for the BS). On the other hand, I would rather a excel in CH 104, 105 and 106 than flounder in CH 221, 222 and 223, and advise students to focus on mastery, even if it means taking general chemistry twice in their lives. Chemistry is very important to the work in the lab, and should not be shortchanged.
What are the courses like? Is there actual lab work involved?
Most of the courses in the Biotech program are very laboratory centered. The Basic Lab techniques and Instruments course, and each of the core courses in the second year involve at least six hours per week, in addition to lecture. The lab is run more like a working laboratory than a teaching lab, and students work both collaboratively and independently on real laboratory procedures, and complex tasks. They are responsible for procedures as they would be in a working lab, form preparing the solution to analysis of the result. The lab becomes their workplace, and they make a transition from students to laboratory professionals.
Is the PCC lab as good, as well-equipped, as a “real” lab?
Actually in many cases it is better. Many laboratories focus their activities on one or two areas molecular biology and tissue culture or protein chemistry, for example, and thus have only the equipment needed for those activities. Since we work in all of these areas, we need to be exceptionally well set up. The abundant state-of-the-art equipment in our newly-built laboratory allows us to carry out a very broad range of typical laboratory procedures, and our lab is, in fact, the envy of many practicing scientists who have toured the facility.
How much flexibility is there in the program?
Most of the first year courses are offered twice a year, once during the regular academic year (Plan A) and again in the summer (Plan B). The second year courses are only offered in the fall and winter, and most of these are sequential. These may be taken part time if necessary.
Are any of the courses offered at night?
At the present time, only Introduction to Biotechnology is frequently offered at night. The second year courses are scheduled into either morning or afternoon hours, so that students who need to go to school part time could do so on wither a morning or afternoon schedule.
Is there an internship, or work experience component to the program?
In the spring term following the completion of the second year course, students are set up in Work Experience situations. Because of the variety in this area, students’’ preferences and priorities are a key part of the placement, and there are generally several options for each student. Specific goals and objectives are established for each student in a conference between the student, the instructor and the employer. The students gain 240 hours of real work experience, and an introduction to the network of laboratory jobs.
What is the market for jobs, and do your students get them?
Lab jobs are fun , interesting and offer great potential for individual growth and advancement. The people in science are smart, creative, curious and generally highly engaged in their art. It is a rich and stimulating environment in which to work, as well as a very professional one. For this reason, you will not see a whole lot of jobs advertised -- they are somewhat competitive. Opportunities are frequent, however, as there are changes in grant availability, as technicians go onto higher education, as companies are established, and so forth. This can give technicians interesting variety in their employment (and yes, some people find that stressful, and that is something you would need to consider about this field in general) .
The bottom line is that if you are a good worker, and if you have skills that employers
need, you will be able to find a great job. PCC students have been successful at
getting these jobs, because their training makes them especially valuable to employers
-- more so than a recent college graduate with little or no lab experience. One investigator
recently replaced a post-doc with a PCC graduate she had had as an intern, and another
lets her PCC intern do more experiments than the (BS-holding) lab aide in her lab.
Our students are making the reputation of this program, and will continue to.