Education/training
Lab technologists on the frontlineIf we're hungry we eat. And if we eat too much and get indigestion we swallow an antacid. Seldom, if ever, do we think that technologists in a lab had to test the food we ate too much of and the antacid we took to provide relief. DAVID CHILTON |
|
 [ 2006-09-06 ] |
Yet those technologists are on the front line preventing us from unintentionally poisoning ourselves. Many of them graduated from Durham College in Oshawa, the only college in Ontario that teaches both pharmaceuticals and food science in the same program, although several other colleges and at least a couple of universities, including the University of Guelph, offer one subject or the other.
Sue Todd, co-ordinator of the Pharmaceutical and Food Science Technology program at Durham, says the college has taught the course under different names -- it used to be called Food and Drug Technology -- since 1974.
"It's had one of the best placement records in history because those industries are always growing and changing," Todd says. "Foods change and pharmaceutical products change, and as with the baby boomers, we've had to keep up with change."
The program at Durham is small, Todd says, with about 24 students a year enrolled every September for the three-year, full-time course. The gender split is about 60/40 women to men, Todd continues, with most students' joining the program straight from high school. She estimates 2% to 5% of each first-year class is made up of mature students, and one or two international students enrol every year. Tuition fees for Canadian students are about $1,900 a year.
100 HOURS OF JOB PLACEMENT
The Pharmaceutical and Food Science program is heavy on chemistry and biology, as might be expected, although high school credits in neither subject are required. They are, of course, recommended, Todd says, and Grade 12 English and MAP Math -- essentially college level math -- are necessary. Students also have to satisfactorily complete at least 100 hours of job placement, adds Todd, who cautions that students are heading for a career in a highly regulated environment.
One of the new rules is a distressing sign of the times. Called C-TPAT, it's an agreement by Canada and the U.S. to ensure that the food supply chain between the two countries is safe from acts of terror. Darlene Guy, a food scientist in the program at Durham, says she found out about C-TPAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) while looking at a job ad for graduates.
Guy says she will have to teach students about C-TPAT this year, given the agreement, and the fact that those who want to cause harm could introduce dangerous organisms into the food supply.
Lara Samson graduated from the program at Durham last year after working in retail. Before that she studied psychology at the University of Guelph, where she took a couple of food science courses. At Durham, Samson found the instruction more hands-on -- there were lots of lab tests, for example -- as well as smaller classes and faculty who were very interested in their students' progress.
She says, "I wasn't sure about the pharmaceuticals side, but they (Durham) did a good job of marrying the two."
Despite the apparent dissimilarity between pharmaceuticals and food, Todd says a lot of the testing methods the students learn are the same, which means they can work in either industry. They could conduct research and development or quality assurance, for instance, move into chemical sales, manage processing plants or, like Samson, work for a contract sterilization service.
Either way, pay and prospects look good. Todd says a new graduate who goes into pharmaceuticals can expect about $40,000 a year to start and in food it's $30,000 to $35,000.
---
QUICK FACTS
Do you aspire to appear on reality TV?