Forensic Apprentice

Summary

Several departments support the apprenticeship programme and you could potentially work within the Fingerprint Bureau, Fingerprint Development Laboratory, Major Crime Laboratory, Forensic Scene Investigation (including Crime Scene coordinators), Drugs Laboratory, Video Imaging Team and Digital Imaging Reconstruction Team.

Wage

£24,675 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

West Midlands Police – Grade 2 Currently £24,675 - £25,140

Training course

Laboratory technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm. Total hours per week: 36.5 hours per week

36 hours 30 minutes a week

Possible start date

Wednesday 1 October

Duration

1 year 9 months

Positions available

2

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

As a Forensic Apprentice, your role would include but not be limited to the following responsibilities:

To support and work within an established Quality Management System. The laboratory has accreditation to ISO17025 in accordance with UKAS requirements
Ensure compliance with the Forensic Science Regulator Codes of Conduct and Practice and ISO 17020 accreditation quality standards.
To receive, record and prioritise work in line with Standard Operating Procedures in order to achieve the teams agreed performance indicators, objectives and deadlines
To operate the force case management systems to record, update and case track all activities on submissions
To carry out sequential treatments for routine crime as defined by the CAST guidelines within the Fingerprint Development Laboratory
To help administer the Forensic Imagery System within departments that use it.
To maintain the West Midlands & Warwickshire Police portions of the National Fingerprint Database within the Fingerprint Bureau
To ensure the integrity and continuity of all evidence is maintained
To ensure good practice relating to Health and Safety, Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) and Fire Prevention Regulations within teams.
To maintain a clean, operational work environment
To attend and pass any appropriate training courses linked to your apprenticeship qualifications and apprenticeship role

Understand and follow Digital Forensic good practice methodologies (ISO17025 standard and ACPO Principles of Digital Evidence) to acquire and process imagery-based evidence.
To undertake dynamic risk assessments and ensure correct Health and Safety procedures in line with the WMP H&S Policy and Forensic Scene Investigation Risk Assessments.
To provide general support to the Digital Imaging and Reconstruction Team and Crime Scene Coordinator Team in relation to quality assurance and in-line with anticontamination guidelines.
To support the Digital Imaging and Reconstruction Team with the processing and creation of 2D/3D Reconstruction/Presentation of crime

Where you’ll work

Ridgepoint House
Bromford Lane
Birmingham
B8 2RU

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

CSR SCIENTIFIC TRAINING LIMITED

Your training course

Laboratory technician (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
Complete documentation proficiently
Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
Contribute to the preparation of reports.
Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results
Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
Complete documentation proficiently
Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
Contribute to the preparation of reports.
Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results

Your training plan

Through the training provider, CSR Scientific Training, you will undertake a Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship which will include:

Fully recognised apprenticeship qualification - Level 3 Laboratory Technician
On-the-job competency training
Training will be delivered online with occasional site visits by a vocational skills coach to assess you in the workplace.

Upon successful completion, apprentices can apply for professional registration as a Registered Science Technician, RSciTech, with either the Royal Society of Chemistry or Royal Society of Biology.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Any / Other Subject (grade 4/C or above)
Any / Other Subject (grade 4/C or above)
English (grade 4/C or above)
Maths (grade 4/C or above)
Science (grade 4/C or above)

A Level in:

Any Science Subject (grade C or above)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Administrative skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working

Other requirements

The apprentice will need to: Demonstrate excellent interpersonal, communication and organisational skills. Demonstrate excellent presentation skills. Demonstrate a practical approach to problem solving and a willingness to accept responsibility. Have good team working skills, and be able to work as part of a diverse teams. Have good time management skills and be keen to deliver work in a timely and accurate manner. Apprentices will need to be socially and emotionally mature enough to work in a fast paced and professional laboratory environment. They will be cooperative and flexible and be able to maintain professional relationships with colleagues and external customers. The apprentice must have a real interest in science and be willing to learn new skills as well as have a professional and mature approach to work. Able to tolerate potentially unpleasant situations or imagery.

About this company

The Forensic Services Department aims to provide a centre of excellence in forensic science to support investigation teams within West Midlands and Warwickshire Police. We have a culture of quality through the maintenance of ISO quality standards this enables service improvement and a culture of learning and development. Our Department comprises of several specialist teams delivering professional services in DNA, Fingerprints, Forensic Scene Investigation, Digital Forensics, Imagery, Forensic Collision Investigation Unit, Drug Expert Witnesses and Ballistics. The FSD analyses and processes recovered evidence from start to finish to support investigations. We also strive to keep the Force at the cutting edge of developments.

After this apprenticeship

Permanent posts are not guaranteed following successful completion of your apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: