There has been a significant increase in UK science technicians leaving the profession due to high levels of stress and exhaustion, a survey has revealed.

The proportion of technicians saying that they intend to leave the profession has remained stable in the past two years, at around a fifth.

In 2025, however, 44 per cent of technicians cited high levels of stress and exhaustion as the key reasons for leaving, up from 17 per cent who reported the same in 2023.

Retirement, low pay and a lack of progression opportunities are also common reasons for leaving, according to a report by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Technicians ‘everything for everybody’

The RSC polled almost 2,000 science teachers and technicians as part of its annual survey.

One technician, Vicky Thompson, said: “There is currently no legal requirement for technicians in schools - we’ve become that low-hanging fruit that looks attractive for savings when councils are asked to make cuts.”

She added: “Many of those [technicians] remaining are expected to be everything for everybody: acting as first-aiders, doing lunchtime duties, covering classes and organising lesson cover. Technicians are expected to take on roles that are other people’s because payment is not being made for those roles to be there.”

The report also finds that science teaching staff are struggling to deliver practical lessons.

Insufficient time (58 per cent), challenging student behaviour (48 per cent), and the cost of consumables and chemicals (43 per cent) were reported as the biggest challenges to delivering practical science lessons.

Some 29 per cent of survey respondents cited understaffing of technicians as a barrier to practical work.

One teacher in England noted that “without a technician, our practical work would basically stop”.

The RSC commissioned the survey alongside peers from the Association for Science Education, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society (RS) and the Royal Society of Biology.

‘Very concerning’ findings

Mark Jordan, head of education at the RSC, said: “Today’s findings should be very concerning for government.

“It’s incredibly disappointing to learn science teachers and technicians are up against so many challenges that can and should be prevented in delivering this important work.”

Some 57 per cent of respondents said that insufficient funding is a challenge for their school, an increase from the 2023 survey (49 per cent).

The societies are calling for sufficient funding for consumables and chemicals to enable schools to provide hands-on practical activities, as well as enough science technicians with the knowhow to provide high-quality chemistry education.

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