The Lab Tech Committee is working diligently to address the critical shortage of lab techs in Minnesota. Current priorities are the pursuit of distance learning options for laboratory technology and coordination of workforce development activities with state and national efforts. With a membership that is very progressive, innovative, and energetic, this group brings together organizations which, in other circumstances, are quite competitive, but whose leaders realize the importance of working collaboratively to solve problems which all providers are facing.

The Lab Tech Committee has developed a “tool kit” which contains interesting information about the lab profession for students at any point in their elementary and secondary education. Other activities include increased public relations efforts by targeting local media and press. Two articles on the laboratory professional shortage have been published. Future efforts include identifying ways to reach post-secondary students who are science-oriented (i.e., pursuing a biology or chemistry degree) about the laboratory profession, exploring accelerated options for persons who already hold a B.S. degree, and surveying current students to determine what attracted them to the profession.

Lab Tech Committee members are also actively involved in the development of Youth Apprenticeships. The Youth Apprenticeship model holds great promise for attracting youth into the profession and provides mentoring possibilities for current lab professionals.

For more information contact Valerie DeFor at 507-389-2140 or valerie.defor@mnsu.edu

Clinical Laboratory Resources:

• What is a Clinical Laboratory Professional? Powerpoint
  
• Careers in Clinical Laboratory Sciences Powerpoint
  
• Web Resources for Clinical Laboratory Sciences

Photo: Taken by Sonya McNamara of Laboratory Science Exhibit at Smithsonian Museum February 2004. Above photo is the exhibit overview.