PhD
KW
Kelly Weiler
Director, Chemical Laboratory Technician Program
PhD
Chemistry, University of Washington
BS
Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh
Earn While You Learn Through a Chemical Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship in Pittsburgh, PA
28-Month Paid Chemical Laboratory Technician Training
Campus
Pittsburgh, PA
Length
28 Months
Education Level
Diploma
Work Experience
Apprenticeship
Tuition
$0*
No-Cost Chemical Lab Technician Apprenticeship Starts Here
Chemical Laboratory Technicians help create, test, and improve everyday products. If you enjoy science and problem-solving, Bidwell can help you turn that curiosity into a career with extensive workplace experience.
This 28-month apprenticeship combines classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory practice, and paid employer-site training. Once hired by an employer partner, you can earn a paycheck and benefits while continuing your training at BTC.
For eligible students, tuition is provided at no cost, helping remove financial barriers so you can focus on preparing for your future. With an 84% employment rate, Bidwell graduates leave ready to pursue opportunities in the chemical lab technician field.
NEXT START DATE
October 26th, 2026
Is a Chemical Laboratory Technician Career Right for You?
Take the Bidwell Chemical Laboratory Career Readiness Quiz
This fun, online quiz takes 3 minutes to complete and you’ll get a personalized report. Identify your strengths and social style, plus the career paths you’re a good fit for.
The best way to see if Bidwell Training Center is the right fit for you is to come in and visit. Tour our facilities and meet with instructors. Book an Appointment Now or Get More Info.
Build Career-Ready Laboratory Skills
Chemical Analysis
Conduct tests and evaluate solid, liquid, and gaseous materials.
Laboratory Techniques
Prepare solutions, handle samples, and perform chemical reactions.
Instrumentation and Data
Operate laboratory instruments and interpret experimental results.
Quality and Safety
Follow safety procedures, document results, and support standards.
Learning in Action
Instructor-Led Classes
Build your chemistry, math, and technical knowledge.
Instructed Lab Training
Practice lab techniques with guidance from instructors.
Self-Directed Lab Practice
Strengthen your skills through additional laboratory work.
On-the-Job Training
Apply your skills as a employee with a employer partner.
Get Program Details
Request your free program guide and get everything you need to take the first step.
Career Prospects
Next Start Dates
Tuition Costs
Funding Options
Free · No obligation · Takes 30 seconds
How the Apprenticeship Works
Ready to start your career as a Chemical Laboratory Technician with our apprenticeship program? Here's exactly how it works, from application to hire. We support you through every stage of enrollment and placement.
Step 1
Apply Through Bidwell
Complete an information session, application, and required reading and mathematics assessment.
Step 2
Meet the Admission Requirements
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, live in Pennsylvania, and have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Step 3
Be Considered by Employer Partners
Qualified applicants submit a résumé for consideration through the German American Chamber of Commerce’s apprenticeship process.
Step 4
Interview With an Employer
Our employer partner select candidates to interview for available apprenticeship positions.
Step 5
Get Hired and Begin Your Apprenticeship
Once hired, begin paid employer-site training while continuing your classroom and laboratory instruction at BTC.
Program Schedule
Throughout this apprenticeship, you'll build a strong technical foundation at BTC and apply what you learn in a professional setting.
First 16 Months
Learn at Bidwell + Train on the Job
Classroom and lab learning while completing paid employer-site training.
Next 12 Months
Required On-the-Job Training Hours
Continue building your on-the-job skills with your employer.
Up to 6 Months
On-the-Job Training Hours (If Needed)
If your employer determines you need it, you will continue your on-the-job training.
Total Program Duration
28-33 Months
The program duration varies based on the number of hours of paid on-the-job training you complete.
No-Cost Apprenticeship Instruction
$0
tuition, fees & supplies
100%
of programs offered at no cost
0
loans or payment plans
What's covered
Eligible Pennsylvania residents with a high school diploma or GED receive a one-time institutional grant the moment they're accepted — no separate application required. Once hired by an employer partner, apprentices also receive pay and employee benefits.
✓ Tuition
✓ Fees
✓ Uniforms & scrubs
✓ Supplies
✓ Textbooks
Ready to see if you qualify?
✓
Pennsylvania resident
✓
HS diploma or GED
Which Chemical Laboratory Technician Path Is Right for You?
Bidwell Training Center offers two distinct paths to launch your laboratory career. Explore which option matches your lifestyle, schedule, and goals.
11-Month Chemical Lab Technician Training
Choose this path if you want an intensive, full-time route that allows you to build hands-on laboratory skills, complete an industry externship and prepare to enter the field in less than a year.
Full-time, primarily campus-based training
Nine months of classroom and laboratory instruction
8-week industry externship
No-cost tuition for eligible students
28-Month Chemical Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship
Choose this path if you want to earn while you learn and build more workplace experience through a 28-month program that combines paid on-the-job training with the same core curriculum.
Classroom training paired with paid workplace experience
Gradual transition from campus learning into the workplace
More time to apply your skills and gain industry experience
No-cost tuition for eligible students
Qualified applicants must submit a résumé for consideration through the German American Chamber of Commerce’s apprenticeship process and be hired as an apprentice with the program.
Learn from Working Professionals
Every instructor in this program brings hands-on industry experience into the classroom, backed by real credentials.
GC
Gabriel Cintron-Rosado
Chemical Laboratory Technician Program Instructor
MS
Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh
BS
Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico
MH
Michael Hinzman
Employment Coordinator - Chemical Laboratory Technician
BA
Communications and Political Science, Allegheny College
NP
Natasha Pashaw
Chemical Laboratory Technician Program Instructor
BS
Chemistry, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
AK
Andrew Krizman
Computer Applications Instructors and Allied Health Program Coordinator
CU
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Where Your Laboratory Training Can Take You
The apprenticeship can prepare you for opportunities in research and development, quality control, and more.
Is a career as a Chemical Lab Technician is right for you? Take our Career Training Readiness Survey. It's free, quick and reveals your strengths and social style, plus the training and positions you're best suited for.
Positions you may pursue include:
Research · Product Development
Laboratory Technician
Conduct experiments, prepare samples, and document results.
Manufacturing · Chemical Processing
Process Operator
Monitor equipment and support safe, consistent production.
Manufacturing · Materials Testing
Quality Control Technician
Test products and materials to confirm they meet specifications.
Environmental · Industrial Labs
Environmental Technician
Collect and analyze samples to support environmental testing.
Research · Product Testing
Research Technician
Support experiments that develop or improve products and materials.
Our Apprenticeship Partners
The Chemical Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship is sponsored by the German American Chamber of Commerce, Pittsburgh Chapter, with Bidwell Training Center serving as the Related Technical Instruction partner, delivering the program's classroom and laboratory instruction. As a registered apprenticeship, it is overseen by the Department of Labor rather than the Department of Education.
Prepare for Industry-Recognized Credentials
By completing our program, you're prepared for the OSHA Lab Safety and GHS Hazard Communications certifications.
At Bidwell Training Center, your program covers all of the essential knowledge needed to prepare for these certifications including lab safety, hazards and identities of chemicals exposure.
At Bidwell Training Center, your program covers all of the essential knowledge needed to prepare for these certifications including lab safety, hazards and identities of chemicals exposure.
OSHA
GHS & Hazard Communication
Understand how to identify hazards and chemical exposures in a workplace.
OSHA
Lab Safety
Understand how to identify common lab hazards, prevent accidents, and lab injuries.
Get Program Details
Request your free program guide and get everything you need to take the first step.
Career Prospects
Next Start Dates
Tuition Costs
Funding Options
Free · No obligation · Takes 30 seconds
Courses
Build your skills step by step, from mathematics and chemistry fundamentals to advanced instrumentation and applied laboratory methods.
-
01MATH 101 Mathematics for Technicians120 hours
-
02CHEM 101 Chemistry for Technicians120 hours
-
03LAB 101 Introduction to Laboratory Safety and Techniques48 hours
-
04COMP 101 Computer Basics48 hours
-
05PD 101 Professional Development 1: Career Exploration24 hours
-
06CHEM 102 Organic and Biochemistry for Technicians96 hours
-
07LAB 102 Solution Preparation Methods96 hours
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08LAB 103 Analysis of Chemical Reactions96 hours
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09COMP 102 Data Literacy48 hours
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10PD 102 Professional Development 2: Resume Building/Professional Documents24 hours
-
11CHEM 103 Materials Chemistry for Technicians96 hours
-
12LAB 104 Instrumental Analysis120 hours
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13LAB 105 Synthesis and Characterization Techniques120 hours
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14PD 103 Professional Development 3: Interview Skills24 hours
-
15LAB 106 Applied Chemical Methods90 hours
-
09COMP 102 Data Literacy48 hours
-
10PD 102 Professional Development 2: Resume Building/Professional Documents24 hours
-
11CHEM 103 Materials Chemistry for Technicians96 hours
-
12LAB 104 Instrumental Analysis120 hours
-
13LAB 105 Synthesis and Characterization Techniques120 hours
-
14PD 103 Professional Development 3: Interview Skills24 hours
-
15LAB 106 Applied Chemical Methods90 hours
What Our Graduates Say
I was confident in the lab at PPG with its machinery because Bidwell has a lot of similar equipment. I have seen this equipment. I know how to work it.
WB
Willana Burgess, Chemical Laboratory Technician Graduate
I had the opportunity to do my externship at Covestro in the polyurethanes research group and felt right at home with the people, the job responsibilities, and the company.
JF
Jack Forsythe, Chemical Laboratory Technician Graduate
The teachers at Bidwell Training Center encouraged us daily to achieve our full potential.”
KC
Katrina Callen, Chemical Laboratory Technician Graduate
75%
Ready?
Is a Chemical Laboratory Technician Career Right for You?
Take Our Career Training Readiness Assessment
This fun, online quiz takes 3-minutes to complete and you’ll get a personalized report. Identify your strengths and social style, plus the career paths you’re a fit for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bidwell's Chemical Laboratory Apprenticeship Program lets students train for a lab career while gaining real-world experience with an employer partner, following the same curriculum as the standard Chemical Laboratory Technician program but with more on-the-job training over a longer timeline.
Explore Our CoursesNo, you don't need a job arranged first. You complete the admissions process at Bidwell Training Center and may then be considered for apprenticeship placement with an employer partner.
Start Your Application TodayThe biggest difference is structure: the apprenticeship combines classroom training with real-world, on-the-job experience over a longer timeline, while the standard diploma program is completed full-time on campus with an externship.
Learn about the Program OptionsStudents can complete the apprenticeship in as little as 28 months*, depending on individual schedule and employer placement.
Get Program DetailsYes. Eligible students have tuition, supplies, and materials covered, the same as Bidwell's other no-cost programs, allowing students to focus fully on their training.
Learn More About No CostIs a Chemical Lab Technician Apprenticeship Path Right for You?
The apprenticeship could be a strong fit if you want to combine school with paid workplace training. No lab experience or job is required to apply, but you must meet Bidwell’s admission requirements and be hired by an employer partner before enrolling. Fill out the form, and an Admissions Advisor will explain the process.
For immediate questions, call 412-402-9761