Exceptional Swiss Professions: Physics Laboratory Assistant Andrea Plank
Have you ever wondered what a physics laboratory assistant actually does? Most people only have a vague idea of the work this profession involves; an experience that Andrea Plank often makes. Andrea is one of the few apprentices in Switzerland to receive this training. At the renowned Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Villigen she is currently completing the third of four years of her apprenticeship.
In Switzerland, teenagers have to decide early on which direction they want to take professionally. To find the right occupation, students can use their school vacation or request a special leave to do a mini-apprenticeship and gain insight into their profession of choice by working at a company for a few days.
Andrea took this opportunity to get to know the professions of computer scientist, media technician, and physics laboratory assistant. It soon turned out that the latter suited her best, as it involves a variety of tasks and requires interest in mathematics and physics, which have always been her favorite subjects in school. Furthermore, Andrea would like to work in research later on. With her training at the PSI, the largest research center for natural and engineering sciences within Switzerland, she certainly is at the right address.
The training as physics laboratory assistant at the PSI is structured as follows. The first two years serve as basic training. Courses such as mechanics, electronics, measurement technology, sensor technology, programming, material processing, and material testing are taught. Towards the end of the second year, a partial examination follows, in which the acquired knowledge is tested. After the basic training, the apprentices work at different rotation stations. Over the course of the rotation period, students again complete training modules such as optics, thermometry and vacuum technology.
While the daily routine at the rotation stations consist of a diverse set of tasks, the schedule during the basic training is quite standardized. Apprentices like Andrea generally start punctually at 7:30am. After a theoretical introduction, they return to their workplace to perform practical tasks for the day. A typical workday ends at 4:30pm. However, apprentices will often still work on the learning journal after their shift, which is also part of the training. Apart from the instruction at PSI, apprentices spend two days of their week at the vocational school where they get theoretical instruction.
According to Andrea, the work of a physics lab assistant varies greatly from company to company. There are companies that are heavily involved in measurement technology and others that put more emphasis on materials science. While the PSI has both, the focus tends to be more on measurement technology.
Now in her third year of apprenticeship, Andrea is working at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) at PHOENIX, a beamline devoted to the study of light elements, where she is involved in various projects. For instance, she has coded a program that allows her to remotely control a multimeter. Additionally, Andrea assembled an optical filter and printed a self-designed fastener in 3D.
In summary, the work as a physics laboratory assistant requires a wide range of talents, interests, and knowledge. Apart from the technical understanding, manual skills and programming knowledge are required. Moreover, Andrea emphasizes the importance of qualities such as patience, accuracy, and a sense of responsibility.
When asked what Andrea likes best about her job, she mentioned the variety of tasks. ”Rarely one task is like the other and one is always faced with new challenges.” A particular highlight of hers is the preparation of ice cream using liquid nitrogen, which is a tradition for the learning physics laboratory assistants at PSI during the summer months. “The ice cream tastes excellent and the preparation is a lot of fun,” reports Andrea.
This article is part of a social media series presenting exceptional Swiss professions created by the Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta.
Check out the website of the Paul Scherrer Institute to learn more about their mission.
Find a video of the 2019 apprenticeship camp on YouTube.
Visit our Instagram channel @swisscgatlanta for more pictures of Andrea’s work!
