Education technician

Education technicians support science, art, IT or design and technology teachers by preparing equipment and materials for practical lessons.

In this guide

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In this role you could:

  • collect, set up and check equipment for practical lessons
  • make sure rooms and resources meet health and safety rules
  • support teachers and students during lessons
  • put away equipment after lessons
  • manage equipment, supplies and budgets
  • repair, maintain and modify equipment and teaching aids

Working environment

You could work at a college, at a school or at a university.

Your working environment may be physically demanding.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career path and progression

With experience you could become a senior technician, team leader technician, laboratory or studio manager.

You could also work as a teaching assistant or train to be a teacher.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
  • knowledge of English language
  • knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
  • knowledge of media production and communication
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • the ability to work well with others
  • the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

Most relevant

  • Chemistry - Education technicians working in science departments prepare chemicals, solutions, and reagents for practical lessons. They need to understand chemical properties, safe handling procedures, and how to store substances correctly to keep students and staff safe.
  • Biology - Education technicians in science departments set up biology practicals such as microscope slides, dissection equipment, and microbiology cultures. Understanding biological concepts helps them prepare materials correctly and troubleshoot when experiments don't go to plan.
  • Physics - Education technicians prepare and test physics equipment like circuits, optics kits, and mechanics apparatus before lessons. They need to understand how the equipment works so they can check it's functioning properly and advise teachers on safe setups.
  • Design and Technology - Education technicians supporting DT departments maintain workshop tools and machinery, prepare materials for projects, and ensure equipment is safe to use. They often repair and modify teaching aids, so practical skills with tools and materials are essential.

Also relevant

  • Art and Design - Education technicians in art departments prepare materials like paints, printing inks, ceramics glazes, and darkroom chemicals. They manage studio spaces and specialist equipment such as kilns and printing presses, keeping everything ready for creative lessons.
  • Computer Science - Education technicians working in IT departments set up and maintain computer hardware, software, and networks used in lessons. Understanding operating systems, troubleshooting technical issues, and configuring software environments are regular parts of the role.
  • Mathematics - Education technicians use maths when measuring quantities for experiments, managing stock and budgets, and calibrating equipment. Accurate calculations are important when preparing chemical solutions at specific concentrations or ordering the right amount of supplies.
  • Engineering - Education technicians repair, maintain, and sometimes modify equipment and machinery used in practical lessons. Understanding engineering principles helps them diagnose faults, keep workshop tools in good working order, and adapt resources for different teaching needs.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly

You can do a college course to improve your chances of finding work. The exact course you do will depend on which subject area you want to work in as a technician.

Courses include:

  • A levels in your chosen subject area
  • Level 3 Diploma in Applied Science
  • Level 3 Diploma in Information Technology
  • Level 3 Diploma in Art and Design

You could also do a Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools or a Level 3 Award in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools.

Some education technicians have a higher national diploma, foundation degree or degree in their specialist area. You might need this if you want to work in higher education.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national certificate or higher national diploma

More Information

You might be able to get into this job through an advanced apprenticeship in a specialist role, like a lab technician or IT solution technician.

If you want to work in a university, you could do a higher education technician advanced apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More Information

You can apply directly for education technician jobs if you've got the right skills and experience.

Employers will expect you to have GCSEs 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels or equivalent qualifications in English, maths and usually at least one science subject.

Career tips

For science roles, it might be useful if you have worked in a scientific or technical setting like a lab.

You might be able to get a fixed-term technician role to get experience of working in a classroom before moving on to teacher training.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join The Association for Science Education or Higher Education and Technician Educational Development for professional development and training opportunities.

This page contains original content developed by Coffee With Ltd. You may share this page as a link but you must not copy the content or use it with AI tools. All rights reserved.