Course overview

Developed with, and for employers, the programme incorporates interactive e-learning, on- and off-site academic support and short residential blocks. It can support individuals wanting to progress their career within SME and global organisations, covering relevant roles in the life science supply chain from research through development and into manufacturing.

The higher apprenticeship is delivered as a blended course. Most material will be in the form of directed self-learning via the universities e-learning platform, Moodle, and face to face teaching held over the summer.

The University of Kent is at the forefront of providing science-based higher and degree apprenticeships. It was the first university to provide a bioscience-aligned degree programme for the Laboratory Scientist higher apprenticeship standard. Our expertise in e-learning delivery, together with flexible entry points, means that the programme can be delivered with the least disruption to the business.

About the Centre for Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

The University of Kent has delivered higher apprenticeships since 2011, working with industry-leading employers including GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Novartis and Unilever.

Kent launched the Centre for Higher and Degree Apprenticeships in 2016 to build on this experience. The Centre works in partnership with regional and national employers to develop apprenticeships tailored to their needs. The Centre also has an important role to play within the University, supporting academic schools on all aspects of delivering apprenticeship training.

We help to devise a tailored programme of study that complements activity in your workplace, underpinned by our leading academic programmes.

Your future

A laboratory scientist applies specialist knowledge and broad scientific understanding to carry out a range of technical and scientific activities in their specialist discipline: Chemical Science, Life Sciences, Research & Development, and Analytical. They analyse, interpret and evaluate relevant scientific information, concepts and ideas and use these to develop subsequent experiments or investigations and to propose solutions to problems. They identify areas of business improvement and propose innovative scientific ideas. They perform practical, established and novel laboratory procedures using standard and specialist laboratory equipment and instrumentation. Ensuring uniformity, consistency, reliability, reproducibility, quality, and integrity of scientific tests underpins their work and the working environment. In all contexts working safely and ethically is paramount. Laboratory scientists work in a wide range of organisations, including chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, formulated products, consumer products, nuclear and analytical services. They work autonomously on defined projects under the supervision of a senior scientist and as part of a wider scientific team, which may include laboratory technologist and laboratory technicians. They deliver scientific value to their organisation, whilst contributing to the development of others.