How to gain lab experience

Hello.
My partner completed their Master Degree through Covid. This was a biology degree. As it occurred through Covid my partner was unable to use the lab and therefore gain lab experience, through no fault of her own. She has just been let go from her current job in scientific academia. Most of the jobs she is looking at, or PHD opportunities require lab experience. I have been trying to research ways to gain lab experience, but I have had no luck so far. I was writing this to query if anyone knows of any ways to gain lab experience whether it be volunteering or something else. My partner has already sent an email to her old university asking if she can volunteer there and they have said no as this space is needed by people currently paying. Does anyone have a similar experience and/or a solution?
Thanks

Reply 1

Sekcoryn

The exact problem I had - a good bet is probably internships. There was a PhD student in my lab when I was doing my Master's who still had to do internships to gain experience with yeast as she had it with plants and human cells. It becomes a modular game as different jobs require experience with different techniques or model organisms.

The other good bet is to to sign up for the NHS Scientific Training Programme (STP) as they'd give you a lot of experience to prepare you for a job in the NHS (e.g medical biochemist). Someone I know who took two years out from uni after doing a life science degree is looking into it this year. May not be exactly what she wants but failing all else, it's a good route to go down if she doesn't want to remain in academia

All the best to your partner!