Medical Laboratory Technicians (NOC 3212)

What They Do Medical laboratory technicians perform some or all of the following duties: Collect blood or other samples from patients Receive tissue samples from patients Log patient samples and prepare them for testing Set up medical laboratory equipment Conduct routine laboratory tests and sample analyses Clean and maintain medical laboratory and medical laboratory equipment.

Where They Find Work —    Top Occupational Areas Health care and social assistance 82% Scientific research and development services 4% Educational services 4% Medical laboratory technicians work in medical laboratories in hospitals, clinics, research institutes, universities, and government research laboratories. The unionization rate (60%) is above the average (32%) for all occupations. The highest concentrations (per 10,000 people) of Medical Laboratory Technicians are found in Alberta and Quebec while the lowest concentrations are in New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

Related Occupation(s) Technical Occupations in Physical Sciences (NOC 221) Medical Laboratory Technologists and Pathologists' Assistants (NOC 3211) Medical Technologists and Technicians (Except Dental) (NOC 321)

Something to Think About To enhance your professional knowledge and broaden your opportunities, consider: Continually updating your knowledge Improving interpersonal skills Setting standards and guidelines for safety/operations

Use the "Where They Find Work" graph to target your worksearch. It may be easier to get into industries with the most people in this field. Want to work in an industry that hires fewer workers in this field? To be more marketable, check out whether you have the most up-to-date knowledge and technology skills for that industry. Check the provincial/territorial or local information (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca) for opportunities in your area.

What You Need To be a medical laboratory technician, you must have a high school diploma and on-the-job training, or complete a six- to fourteen-month program for technicians/assistants. To be a combined laboratory and x-ray technician, you must complete a Combined Laboratory X-Ray Technology Program. Most recent entrants have a community college diploma and almost 2 in 5 have an undergraduate university degree.

Required/Related    Educational Programs* This will let you explore the program(s) of study that lead to this (these) occupation(s). Medical Laboratory Technologies (C550) Nursing - Other (C561) Physical Education (U240) Agriculture - Other (U613) Biology (U620) *  These educational programs are listed in the order in which they are most likely to supply graduates to this occupation.

Useful Experience/Skills Multidisciplinary teamwork Business procedures Interpersonal skills		Useful High School Subjects Biology Chemistry Physics Math
Depending on your background, this Education, Training, and Experience info will help you to: Choose your high school courses Plan your post-secondary program Choose relevant volunteer work Decide what new skills to learn Read job ads, professional journals, and newspapers for what the industry needs and employers want. Talk to employers and employees to find out the exceptional skills and knowledge that will help you land a job.

Current Conditions Your work prospects are rated FAIR because: Employement grew at a below-average rate. Hourly wages ($20.32) are close to the average ($18.07), and the rate of wage growth is above average. The unemployment rate (3%) is close to the 2004 average (7%).

Work Prospects Current   Fair   2009   Fair

Outlook to 2009 Your work prospects will continue to be FAIR because: The employment growth rate is expected to be above average because of on going trends--a growing and aging population that requires more health services, new diagnosing/treating technologies, and increased government funding for health care. However, the increased use of automated diagnostic/treatment procedures will likely dampen employment opportunities. Although the retirement rate will likely be average, the number of retiring workers should contribute to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely match the number of job openings.

Preparing for the Competition You'll need to ensure that you keep up with new medical technologies. You may find opportunities in private clinics/laboratories.

If you are beginning your career investigation, national outlooks will give you a good overview of trends. Ready to explore an occupation in more detail? Check provincial/territorial or local outlooks (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca).

What you can expect to make (Average Hourly Earnings ($/hour))
Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 $14.72 $11.74 25-54 $20.50 $19.76 55+ $23.20 $19.59 Overall Average for Ages (20+) This Occupation All Occupations $20.32 $18.07		Hourly wages ($20.32) are close to the national average ($18.07). These earnings are close to the average for occupations in the health sector and close to the average for all technical, professional, and skilled occupations. These wages grew at an above-average rate from 2002 to 2004.
Your salary can be affected by your background, the company's size and benefits, and the region and setting (urban or rural). Check out salaries in your own region by seeking info from: Employees/unions/associations Employers/human resource people Training institutions and placement services Company websites Professional/trade journals

Close to the average
The unemployment rate (3%) is close to the 2004 average (7%). This rate is close to the average for technical, professional, and skilled occupations. A low unemployment rate often means less competition for the jobs available. But you still need to have the required training and experience. A high unemployment rate doesn't necessarily mean you'll have great difficulty getting hired. But it can mean a fluctuating demand for workers, and you may experience bouts of unemployment.		Year This Occupation All Occupations 1991 1% 10% 1992 2% 11% 1993 1% 11% 1994 4% 10% 1995 2% 10% 1996 3% 10% 1997 2% 9% 1998 4% 8% 1999 2% 8% 2000 2% 7% 2001 2% 7% 2002 1% 8% 2003 1% 8% 2004 3% 7%

% of Part-time work is above average
This Occupation All Occupations Full-time 78% 81% Part-time 22% 19%		There were 21,500 workers employed in these occupations in 2004, a decrease of 10% since 1997. The percentage of part-time workers (22%) is above the 2004 average (19%) and has stayed about the same since 1997.
When full-time work is difficult to find, look at alternatives such as contract work, consulting, shared positions, and telework.

Below average
The percentage of self-employed workers (0%) is below the 2004 average (15%)		This Occupation All Occupations Self-Employed 0% 15%
Does this occupation have an above-average rate of self-employment? Consider being your own boss if you can't find work with an employer.

Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 7% 10% 25-54 84% 72% 55+ 9% 12%		The retirement rate to 2009 will likely be average influenced by a similar-to-average age of workers (40).
Look at the youngest group. A low percentage means fewer openings for brand-new workers. A high percentage means more openings for brand-new workers. Look at the oldest age group. A high percentage means positions could open up from retirements. This could be significant for both mid-career changers and brand-new workers.

Above average
The percentage of women (80%) is above the 2004 average of 48% and has dropped since 1997.		This Occupation All Occupations Percent Women 80% 48%

This page last modified on: 2007-03-31