GC
Gabriel Cintron-Rosado
Chemical Laboratory Technician Program Instructor
MS
Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh
BS
Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico
Get the Skills to Start Your Chemical Lab Technician Career in Pittsburgh, PA
No-Cost 11-Month Chemical Laboratory Technician Training
Campus
Pittsburgh, PA
Length
11-Months
Education Level
Diploma
Work Experience
Externship
Tuition
$0*
Hands-On, No-Cost Chemical Lab Tech Training
Chemical Laboratory Technicians help create, test, and improve products people use every day. If you enjoy science, problem-solving, and figuring out how things work, this career can put your curiosity to practical use.
At Bidwell, you’ll study chemistry, laboratory procedures, instrumentation, and data analysis. You’ll begin working in the lab during your first quarter and complete an 8-week, 240-hour externship. Our program in Pennsylvania can prepare for entry-level opportunities in the chemical industry.
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 Career as a Chemical Lab Technician Right for You?
Take the Bidwell Chemical Lab Technician 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 Skills Through Hands-On Training
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.
Laboratory Safety
Handle chemicals safely and document your work accurately.
Learning in Action
Instructor-Led Classes
Build your science and math knowledge with guidance.
Laboratory Training
Begin practicing techniques in the school’s lab during your first quarter.
Industry Equipment
Learn instruments used to test and analyze materials.
Industry Externship
Apply your training for 8-weeks in a professional lab.
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
Program Schedule
Your training combines classroom instruction, lab practice, and experience in an industrial lab.
1
Classroom and Lab Training
9
Months
Study chemistry, math, instrumentation, data analysis, and lab techniques while gaining experience in Bidwell’s school lab.
2
Supervised Externship
2
Months
Apply your skills off campus in a professional chemical laboratory under the supervision of an experienced technician or chemist.
Total Duration
11 Months
Externship
Put Your Lab Skills into Practice
During your 8-week, 240-hour externship, you'll apply your training in a professional chemical lab.
You'll also build confidence, your résumé, and make professional connections before graduation. Bidwell invites local employers to meet and interview students, giving you a chance to explore open positions of companies hiring in the field.
You'll also build confidence, your résumé, and make professional connections before graduation. Bidwell invites local employers to meet and interview students, giving you a chance to explore open positions of companies hiring in the field.
No-Cost Tuition
$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 train at no cost—thanks to funding from the State of Pennsylvania, private foundations, and individual donors. Accepted students automatically receive a one-time institutional grant, no separate application needed.
✓ Tuition
✓ Fees
✓ Uniforms
✓ 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.
Is a Career as a Chemical Laboratory Technician Right for You?
Chemical Laboratory Technicians invent and improve the things every day in Pittsburgh.
Which One are You?
The Tester
Do you love precision and clarity?
Fixing things? Troubleshooting errors and resolving technical issues.
Paying attention to details? Ensuring extreme accuracy and consistency.
Following directions? Working with clear protocols and structured guidelines.
Verifying results? Making sure things work exactly the way they should.
Then you would make a great
Testing Lab Technician
They like to PROVE by troubleshooting, optimizing processes, and making sure products work properly.
The Creator
Do you love discovering new possibilities?
Figuring things out? Solving complex puzzles and finding out why things work.
Building things? Creating tangible prototypes and bringing concepts to life.
Improving ideas? Taking an existing product and finding ways to make it better.
Learning tech? Staying on the cutting edge of new materials and products.
Then you would make a great
R&D Lab Technician
They like to DISCOVER by turning ideas into new products, refining existing products, and making and testing prototypes.
Change your life in less than a year. Then, change the world.
At Bidwell Training Center, you can become a Chemical Lab Technician in less than a year at no-cost to you.
Prepare for In-Demand Chemical Lab Technician Careers
Chemical technicians are needed in manufacturing, quality control, research, product testing, and other industries, creating solid demand for people with hands-on laboratory skills.*.
Is a career as a Chemical Lab Technician is right for you? Take our Career Training Readiness Quiz. 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 Employer Partners
Bidwell Training Center partners with leading organizations across the region to connect graduates with real job opportunities. Some of our employer partners include:
PPG Industries
US Steel
Sherwin Williams
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
Learn from Working Professionals
Every instructor in this program brings hands-on industry experience into the classroom, backed by real credentials.
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
PhD
KW
Kelly Weiler
Director, Chemical Laboratory Technician Program
PhD
Chemistry, University of Washington
BS
Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh
AK
Andrew Krizman
Computer Applications Instructor & Allied Health Program Coordinator
CU
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
75%
Ready?
Is a Career as a Chemical Lab Technician 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.
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
-
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
-
16CLX 100 Externship240 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
-
16CLX 100 Externship240 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
"Bidwell has offered me the opportunity to learn something new, to take that something, and make it my own. I am now working at one of the best chemical manufacturing and supply companies in the world."
CT
Curtis E. Terry II, 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
Frequently Asked Questions
The 11-month diploma program is completed full-time through Bidwell and includes an 8-week externship. The apprenticeship covers the same core skills over a longer timeline and includes paid on-the-job training with an employer partner.
Learn More About Your OptionsThe program can typically be completed in 11 months, combining classroom chemistry and math instruction with hands-on laboratory experience and an 8-week placement in an actual industrial lab.
Get Program Details NowStudents gain practical skills in laboratory safety, chemical analysis, equipment operation, and sample preparation, working with both organic and inorganic chemicals while learning to perform tests and document results accurately.
View Course DetailsNo, prior experience is not required. The program covers essential skills starting from the basics of chemistry through advanced laboratory techniques, preparing students fully for a career in the field.
Take the Career Training Readiness SurveyYes, eligible Pennsylvania residents may qualify for state-funded grants that cover tuition and other program fees, making this an affordable path into chemical processing, materials testing, and quality control careers.
Book Your Info SessionIs a Rewarding Career as a Chemical Lab Technician Right For You?
If you’re interested in learning more about Chemical Lab Technician careers and exploring whether Bidwell Training Center is right for you, fill out the form on this page to receive more information. Our friendly and knowledgeable Admissions team is here to answer your questions and guide you through everything from enrollment to courses.
For immediate questions, call 412-402-9761
*For accepted Pennsylvania resident students, tuition, fees, uniforms, supplies, and textbooks are fully covered through state funding.
**https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/chemical-technicians