The UWM RE-CHARGE program is a paid program for high school graduates and college students who discontinued a STEM program and are planning to enter the local STEM workforce as laboratory technician. The program is supported by the Universities of Wisconsin for 2025 and 2026.
What does a Laboratory technician do?
Laboratory technicians are essential employees for various industries that conduct manufacturing, analysis, and research in laboratories. These industries produce among other cosmetics, textiles, metal, oils, plastics, cleaning products, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals or analyze samples from living organisms, the environment, forensics, and manufacturing. Of course, laboratory technicians conduct research for the private sector, government, universities and non-profit institutions.
Why are we offering this program?
Wisconsin, especially the metropolitan area of Milwaukee, is home to many industries that hire laboratory technicians. Usually, they are looking for employees that have numerical skills, enjoy working in a team, can closely follow protocols and procedures, have good hand to eye coordination, excel in an organized work environment, have good time management skills, can keep written records, are good with operating laboratory equipment, and can have good problem-solving skills. We understand that these skills are not usually taught in high school. Therefore, we offer a program that will teach you specifically:
- General STEM knowledge
- Basic Laboratory skills and procedures
- Industry-specific skills and procedures
How can I find employment after completion of this program?
We are working with number of industry partners that have been instrumental to tailor this program to their needs of a future employee. As part of the program, you will visit these companies and see what laboratory technicians are doing. You will meet with their human resource department and learn more about the hiring process and discuss possible employment options. We hope that this program is a steppingstone to your future job.
Here is a list of companies you will get to know better.
Church & Dwight is the is the largest U.S. producer of sodium bicarbonate, used in a variety of industrial, institutional, medical, food and specialty cleaning applications. Additionally, in this segment we provide a growing range of animal agriculture productivity and wellness products.
Sterling Pharma delivers comprehensive small molecule services spanning pre-clinical development to full commercial manufacturing. Sterling is a proven and trusted partner to the world’s most innovative biotechs and leading pharmaceutical companies.
Shimadzu provides analytical and measuring instruments, industrial machinery, and aircraft equipment that are used in a wide range of industries, where they play a role in protecting the safety and security of society and improving convenience of life through our customers’ businesses.
Actalent combines specialized talent solutions with technical services capabilities delivered by our experts to drive value and results for our customers.
AO Smith offers innovative solutions for water heating needs including a broad range of high-efficiency water heating products that save energy.
Eurofins contributes to a safer and healthier world by providing our customers with innovative and high-quality laboratories, research and advisory services whilst creating opportunities for our employees and generating sustainable shareholder value.
MPP Group offers drug development services that are designed to help you achieve your drug discovery goals. With a focus on generic Injectables they offer an effective development team that can optimize your processes and develop quality drug formulation.
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is a regional government agency that provides water reclamation and flood management services for over 1 million people in 29 communities in the Greater Milwaukee Area
Millipore Sigma is a leading supplier to the global Life Science industry with solutions and services for research, biotechnology development and production, and pharmaceutical drug therapy development and production.
Erztech provides world-class organometallic precursor R&D and manufacturing services for customers around the world, helping navigate the uncertainties of any feasibility analysis with deep molecular synthesis capability for both design and manufacturing of final selection.
Of course there are other local companies that are offering laboratory technicians advertised here: indeed, zipRecruiter, and others.
What exactly am I doing during the summer program?
The program will be offered from June 16th through August 9th at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee in the brand-new chemistry building and the State of the art (SAILARC).
This is full-time program, thus you will be on campus for eight hours a day, five days a week. The program has segments of class instruction focused on chemistry, math, reading and writing. Furthermore, there is applied instruction specifically for laboratory technicians that includes safety, instrumentation, analysis, standard operating procedures, good laboratory practice (GLP), data management and analysis. Lastly, there is strong emphasis on hands-on training in different laboratory settings that include the use of analytical equipment, organic synthesis and biochemical procedures. The hands-on training will incorporate the knowledge from instructional lessons.
How can I afford to participate in this program?
Because this program is financed by the Universities of Wisconsin where will be no-charge to you. In the contrary, we understand that you need to cover your costs of living and therefore we will offer stipends to every participant. This stipend will be an equivalent to $12.5 per hour.
What can I expect from working as a laboratory technician?
You can expect a steady job with benefits (health insurance, 401K plan and paid sick leave) with an hourly pay between $20-$25 per hour as starting salary. Usually, your salary will increase overtime and can reach up to $40 per hour.
How can I apply for this program?
RE-CHARGE application for Summer 2025
We will review your application starting on April 1st. Will will contact the first round of applicants by the 10th of April. The program is tailored to ten participants to ensure that we can offer personalized education. We believe that this program works best with a small group enabling everybody to learn, understand and apply.
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