Forensic Technician
OFO No: 311901
Youtube clip – All about Forensic Careers
For training options in South Africa – scroll down
What is a Forensic Technician?
A Forensic Technician may also be called a criminalist.
They specialise in collecting physical evidence from crime scenes.
Forensic Technicians work alongside forensic scientists in a laboratory.
What does a Forensic Technician do?
- collects physical samples from crime scenes
- follows strict rules and regulations
- performs experiments in laboratory on the samples
- analyses experiments and data
- determines what happened at the crime scene
- prove or disprove a suspect was at the crime scene
- writes reports
- helps police and other legal professionals
- appears in court if necessary as an expert witness
Are you . . . ?
- interested in crime scenes?
- interested in science?
- observant?
- detail orientated?
- a person with a strong stomach? (some crime scenes can be extremely traumatising)
- reliable?
- responsible?
- inquisitive?
How do I become a Forensic Technician?
There are many ways to becoming a Forensic Technician.
PATH 1
- Learnership: NQF Level 5 – Forensic Science
PATH 2
- National Certificate in Forensic Biology
PATH 3
- National Diploma in Forensic Pathology Support
OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Forensic Analyst or Toxicologist
Is becoming a Forensic Technician the right career choice for me?
