The jobs scene is reasonably good for medical lab technicians at present, particularly with the advent of Tallaght hospital. The starting annual salary of £16,000 also compares well with other graduate salaries.

After that, salaries rise slowly. It takes 14 years to reach the top of the basic-grade salary, £22,700.

The job involves working with blood, urine and tissue samples. Would-be medical lab technicians would be well advised to visit their local hospital lab and take a look around. Some hospitals offer work experience to Transition Year students.

Although most biomedical science graduates will end up working in a diagnostic lab in a hospital, there are increasing opportunities elsewhere. Many graduates will continue their studies to master's or PhD. Others will find work in areas such as the blood transfusion service, virus reference labs, university research labs, the pharmaceutical industry, public health labs, the food industry and research institutes.