ACS NEWS

Technician's role growing in importance

Chairman of Society's

Council Committee on

Technician Affiliation

stresses need for

upgrading training and

recognizing proper status

of chemical technicians

LeRoy W. Clémence

Chemical technicians are making an important contribution . . .

Technicians in the fields of engineer­ing and physical science are present­ing a problem of identity to the Amer­ican Chemical Society, industry, and academia. Not professionals in the same sense as engineers or chemists, they nevertheless employ much of the same kind of knowledge and many of the same techniques associated with professional work. The ambiguity of their position is reflected in inappro­priate curriculums, unsatisfactory uti­lization of their skills, and poor career guidance.

ACS began to take steps several years ago to remedy this situation. Committees were formed on an ad hoc basis to study the training of techni­cians and the possibilities of their af­filiation with the Society, and a staff position established two years ago for two-year colleges is also dealing with these problems.

These efforts have directed atten­tion to the existence of an "apology complex" that hinders recognition of proper status for technicians. This is an attitude of apology for the techni­cian because he does not have a college degree, usually does not have the same kind of job responsibility as the scien­tist or engineer, and therefore is ac­corded considerably lower status than these professionals.

A meaningful analysis of the role of the technician reveals a wide range of contributions the technician may make to a project from its inception and many potential relationships among technicians and professional personnel. He makes contributions, particularly in the experimentation stage, requir­ing certain abilities that may some­times exceed those of the professionals with whom he works; he is a key mem­ber of the technical team.

ACS has conferred a broader and more permanent status on the ad hoc Council Committee on Technician Af­filiation with the ACS by dropping the "ad hoc" designation and making it an "other" committee of the Coun­cil. Chairman of this committee is LeRoy W. Clémence, a councilor of the Chicago Section. Mr. Clémence was a research chemist and then di­rector of the Science Service of Ab­bott Laboratories before he retired about a year ago.

To clarify the status of technicians on the job, in the community, and in ACS, Kenneth Chapman, ACS's As­sistant Educational Secretary for Two-Year Colleges, recently interviewed

Mr. Clémence, who has been chair­man of the Committee on Technician Affiliation since its inception. Mr. Chapman's interview follows: Q. Mr. Clémence, please describe the function of a chemical technician— how does he contribute to the practice of chemistry? A. The chemical technician contrib­utes to the practice of chemistry as an important member of a team which could include professional chemists or chemical engineers and other skilled craftsmen. The technician can par­ticipate in laboratory problems in re­search or development, in chemical production, or in testing or analyzing raw materials or processes or finished products. He may assist in designing, installing, and operating equipment.

Chemical technicians lack the pro­fessional education that the chemist or chemical engineer attains. In the latter cases, usually a minimum of a four-year course in a college or univer­sity awarding a B.S. degree is re­quired; today, most of the graduates are continuing studies toward an M.S. or Ph.D. degree. Many technicians have no more than a high school edu­cation, some have from one to three years of college education, and a very small number have completed spe­cial two- or three-year programs spe­cifically preparing them as chemical technicians. Therefore, it is likely that the professionally trained person would be more involved in the theory, de­sign, and planning of technical efforts and in the final interpretation of the results. Q. Is there a great demand in indus­try for chemical technicians? A. There is an increasing demand for them. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the number of technicians in the U.S. in 1975 will be double that of 1963. The U.S. Office of Education predicts that the chemi­cal industry will require eight times as many technicians during the 1970's as in 1964. The Manufacturing Chemists Association is a bit more conservative but still is predicting that the industry will need two or three times as many technicians in 10 years as are now employed.

Some of these figures are based on approximations from surveys which are neither exact nor complete be­cause the word technician is given widely variant definitions. Need for technicians can also be determined by demand on employment agencies, by

JAN. 20, 1969 C&EN 41

help wanted ads and requests for graduates of junior and technical col­leges.

That MCA has been interested is an indication that there is an increas­ing need for chemical technicians. In certain states, such as California, New York, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Connec­ticut, and Massachusetts, junior (two-year) colleges are providing training for people who can qualify as begin­ning technicians.

This increase stems from the antici­pated growth of the chemical indus­tries and increases in the size and number of laboratories. This means an increase in the number of research scientists and professionals in all branches of chemical technology and a corresponding increase in technicians becomes necessary. Q. Will automation in laboratories re­duce the need for chemical techni­cians? A. I do not believe that automation will reduce the need for chemical technicians. On the contrary, I be­lieve that more technicians will be needed to operate the instruments and will free the chemists for planning and design studies. Q. What type of training do chemi­cal technicians get and how wide­spread is the training today? A. In the past a number of techni­cians were dropouts with only a year or two of college training, and a larger number have had a high school edu­cation only. Both groups get consid­erable on-the-job training, which is necessary.

The rapid increase in the number of technical and junior colleges is creat­ing a tremendous potential for training technicians. In the future these two-year colleges can be expected to ori­ent their curriculums toward the prac­ticing technicians rather than serve only as a foundation for transfer to a four-year college. With the help of the ACS ad hoc Committee on Tech­nician Curriculum and other commit­tees of the Society, we hope that the quality of technician training will be improved. The development of con­tinuation courses for technicians is also progressing. Q. What would you say are some of the advantages of hiring chemical technicians? A. Initially, the poorly prepared tech­nician can be considered "extra hands" for the chemist, expediting the planned projects; but as he develops his techniques, his understanding of why and how things work, he will substantially increase his contributions to the team effort. Q. Can an increase in productivity per salary dollar be obtained by sup­porting the chemist with more chem­ical technicians?

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42 C&EN JAN. 20, 1969

Supplement

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" e ^ s listed m Drf»v,V,„. f a r i ; ^ e v . o u s supplements

N>N»8is(;;-hydroxyethyl)tJecati^tr[lde B£s{raethf.cry loyi.oxyethyieae)terephtlialaC€· HLs<o«nitrophenyl)ether Bla<o-ni.trophenyl)sul£ide ftls{o-iUt ropheny Usulfone Bis (6,B-t r idecanediono} copper Bi${5,7-undecanediono)copper BroTnoacetaldehv'de Diraethylacetal 1 * Br oraoaitt hi aqi<i none Bromoieri'ic Phthalocyanine ' a-Bromusu.esric Acid 4-Sutox>-l-naphthol m-Hutoxypheitoi Butyî te :t.-Butyl Ether Butylferrocene tert.-Bu:yl Isocyanate p-HtityliUtrobens-.ette Butyltri îthylâtnraoniutn Iodide Cadmium Phthalocyanine Cellulose Acetate Pivalate 4'-Chlor:>benzanilide 4-Chloro-3,,j-dinitrobeûSioic Acid 4-ChloropyrocatectiOl Chlororufchertium Phthalocyanine 4-Chloroveratrole Cholesteric Mixture -11 to - l ' Copper Octaphenylporphyraxine jn-Cyclopentyloxy phenol Cyclohexanone Aziue 1-Decanesultonic Acid Sodium Salt Decyl Çaliare Decyl Isacya.natoacetate S,.\'-Diacetylhydrazin« 5,6-DiaitinauracU Sulfate 1,1' -Blafithraquincw Diantimony Phthalocyanine-ti,0-Dit>enioyl-M-(o» to Iyl}hydrpxy amine 2,6-Dibromohexanôic Acid l,3»Dibrorao»2-*propanone 4',51-Dibromosuifonefiuoresceitt 313*-Difcroit.o-2,5>xyLenoisuUon«phthalein Ι,Γ-DLfcutylferrocer -. 2?4->Dichlorobenzonitiile 4,5-Dichioro-2-aiethoxyphenoi 3,4-Diethoxybenzonitrile b»Dieth\ lawiûtxiwirioUne Diethyl a-Btonwglutarate DietUylcittuocarbaniic Acid I'reniuin Dioxide Sal Diethyl Ethylheptyltmllonate Diethyl Sthylhexyïmalonatë Diethyl Ëthylmetbylmalonate Diethyl lodomcthyiphosphonate DlcthvJ Oximtnomalonate Diethyl Oximinoinalonatc Sodium Acetate Coraplei l,8-Dih;<lrcixy-4,5-<li!titfoaialir.e<iuint)ae 3',6'-D:!mercaptoflu4>raii 2-(2,5-liimethylt)enzoyl)l>«na0lc Acid l,i-Dim«ithyl-3-etbylutfta Diroethy'.. Isocyanatosuccinate 2,4-DtnK-thylphenylriydraair.* hydrochloride 1, i-P im«. thy î-3-pheny lurea 1' ,6'-Dirai·thy 1 suifoneiluowscein 2.S-Dtmrth?l-l>.3.4-thiadiaïol€ Dipenty . t>-'iartrate Dlthlofeiîneoic Acid Sodium Salt Doc< mUe Dodecyl CaJlat* 2,3-EpO:cy-2-rcethylbutyrortltrile> 4-Ethûxv-i-naphthol p~(p-EthOxyphetiylaz»)pher.yl Val «rate N-Ethythen<;areide Ethyl 2-BrujBO-i-chiorofor.ipylhLtyrate Ethyl Cyanogtyoxylate Oxlme Ethyl Cvanogiyoxylate Oxime Sodium Salt Ethyl 3,5-Dichiorosalicylate if, »' -Ethylenediacetamidc l,2~Eth/Uitebl»{chloTp£ormate) Ethyl p-[{p~Ethoxyben2ylidene)amino]<;trnWBiftte 2-Ethyl'iexanoit; Acid Copper Salt 2«EthylieXyl p-Methoxycinnamate Ethyl' 2-Isi>cyanato-4-<metrtylthlo)i>ytyrate Ethyl 2"lsocyapato-4-aethyival«ratè Ethyl U~Ii>ocyanat»undec»noate Ethyl 2>IsticyAnatoprt>pionatc N-Ethyl-p-jUtroanlliBe Ethyl 2>f)itroi>ytyrate Ethyl 2-Pr«>netttyl«TOiR*prE>pionate 5-Ethyl'l-pheny1-2-thioVarbituric Acid l-EtbyiiyrjroUdtoe Ferric îrorcidç Fluorescein DiwcthyUormamide l:l»Cowplex Fluorescein Hydrochloride Torwawiiioe Hydrochloride Formic Acid Zinc Salt N*formyi BL-ïiethienine Glucose Pewtaaetliyl Zther Glycine Sodium Salt Guanidine Hydriodide Guanidin* Stéarate H«ptyl 3aUat« 1,1,3,3,3,5-RexacyAnopentaBe H0X«wti>ylj>hOaphor»thioic Xri«sld& Kexanohydroxemic Acid. Potassium Salt Hexyl Gailate Hexyi f:ienyt Ether

A list of unlisted chemicals

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Quantities are insufficient to stock your EASTMAN Organic Chemicals supplier.

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A. Yes, in the opinion of a number of laboratories. Q. What about disadvantages of hir­ing chemical technicians? A. Well, in the first place, chemical technicians are not very plentiful at present. Also, the hiring of chemical technicians should have a significant effect on company personnel policies. They must clearly emphasize that the technician is not being hired as a po­tential threat to the chemist's job; that he will receive equal consideration only when he develops equal capabil­ities and responsibilities. But to en­courage technicians to develop their abilities and in turn improve the whole technological effort, companies must recognize the growth possibilities through job classifications. Techni­cians should be able to move from nonexempt to exempt classifications. Q. How did ACS become involved in the problems of chemical technicians? A. The ACS Board and Council com­mittees on education have been hold­ing biennial conferences for a number of years covering problems in chemical education, primarily concerned with the colleges. However, they have also been interested in chemical education in the high schools and junior colleges. In 1964, as an outgrowth of the two-year college concern, the problem of training of chemical technicians came to the attention of the conference. A Board committee was formed to in­vestigate, and in 1965 suggested the formation of an ad hoc Board Commit­tee on Technician Curriculum and the formation of an ad hoc Council Com­mittee to Study the Affiliation of Tech­nicians with the ACS.

The ad hoc Technician Curriculum Committee continues in its activities. The ad hoc Council Committee on Af­filiation reported in 1966 that there was enough interest to warrant the appointment of an "other" Council Committee on Technician Affiliation to stimulate and encourage the affilia­tion of technicians with the Society sections and divisions within the framework of the present Society By­laws, and to determine whether there is enough interest on the part of chem­ical technicians and members of the Society to justify the formation of a class of national affiliation. Q. What are some ACS activities in the chemical technician area? A. Through its representation on other Council committees, the Com­mittee on Technician Affiliation has stimulated the local sections and divi­sions of the Society to interest them­selves in technician affiliates. This is a continuing program.

The committee has also sponsored three symposiums for technicians at national meetings in Chicago, San Francisco, and Atlantic City, and has

JAN. 20, 1969 C&EN 43

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plans progressing for the meetings at Minneapolis in April 1969 and New York in September 1969. In these symposiums the papers are presented by the technicians themselves on work for which they were principally re­sponsible.

We are attempting to develop a journal for technicians in the format of a combination newsletter and techni­cal paper. Funds to start this publica­tion are being sought. The commit­tee also continues to develop com­munication methods and sources to seek out the technicians who might be interested in ACS activities.

The ACS Local Section Activities Committee is constantly seeking to stimulate local sections to increase their interest in technicians as affili­ates. Some sections have formed tech­nician topical groups. Others are in the process of encouraging local tech­nicians to affiliate.

As affiliates, technicians enjoy all the privileges of the local sections in­cluding attendance at section meet­ings, receipt of local section publica­tions, and attendance at topical group meetings and section social affairs, but do not have the privilege of voting or holding an elective or appointive posi­tion in the section. This also applies to affiliates of divisions.

The ad hoc Technician Curriculum Committee has outlined an excellent curriculum which is being offered to two-year colleges as a satisfactory course for developing practicing chem­ical technicians. Q. How do ACS activities for chemi­cal technicians benefit ACS members and the science of chemistry? A. Chemical technicians, in assisting in technical and scientific operations in various fields of chemistry, are mak­ing an important contribution to the advancement of chemistry. Thus, as an aid to the individual or to the broad group of chemists and chemical engi­neers in the accomplishment of their tasks, the chemical technician helps to provide benefits for the profes­sional as well as the American Chemi­cal Society. Q. What responsibility does the Soci­ety have toward the technician? A. To help him in his present effort and in his desire to assume greater responsibility in the practice of chem­istry, the Society should encourage and promote the interest and develop­ment of the chemical technician. This means not only in his training and ed­ucation but in his professional needs, his employment opportunities, his ca­reer possibilities; in short, the Society must recognize its total relationship to the chemical technician. Q. Do you expect more companies to make greater use of chemical techni­cians in the future?

44 C&EN JAN. 20, 1969

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