Australia's Science Forum

I think there needs to be a formula that takes into account not just the number of students at the school but the number doing science.
We have 1200 students and lots of them do a couple of science subjects in year 11 and 12 so we have 26 senior classes 9 of which are chemistry. You can imagine the prep. involved. The SAM gets to decide how many hours we get. No one ever wants to work in science so it is hard to get anyone to help me.
In the interests of OH&S there needs to be a set number of hours of lab. help per class.
Perhaps we could all start hassling the union to support a change.

Helen

Ask Smee - is staffing allocation something that our new NSW Science Assistant's Association can lobby for on our behalf? Certainly from a safety point of view it makes sense to have a formula to adhere to, and if the Status of School Laboratory Technicians report backs us up ....

Hi Jamie
I am now a proud card carrying member of a new association for NSW Labbies "ASET-NSW".
See "Announcements" for further info.or google it
Perhaps something can be done about the problems we all face to various degrees.
After a 2011 Australia-wide survey of schools, unis TAFEs etc and the conference that followed NSW lab technicians seem to be a long way behind in working conditions in comparison to other states. NSW state schools did not participate but private schools did.
Judy

Umm and NSW State schools didnt participate because the State Gov wouldn't let us, wonder why Prahaps they had something to hide MariaC

Wow, I can't believe you guys have to "multi-task" in admin. I work in two catholic schools and am specifically employed as a TA in science. I'm the lab tech and thats all I do. Once school has 4 labs, approx 400 students in in secondary side (350 in the primary) and we have 1 FTE lab tech and thats all we do! My other school has about 400 students 1 lab (and a junior "discovery cente" ) and has me for 16.5 a week.

I have approx: 1100 students , 9 teachers, 4 real labs.
Last year when I asked for assistance they offered a volunteer parent they suggested one of the canteen mums

'FORGET IT' I will do with out!
Bless them!

I want to move on.....be trained as a SAM....but nobdy wants to do science.I reckon by the time I get of here I will be .Dont get me wrong I love it here,there just comes a time when you know its time to move to greener pastures