Pros
I was a lab tech and it was just that -- I did learn a lot but thats because I was interested and put in the work to learn a new skill. It was a good seasonal job (in the summer months I would do fieldwork elsewhere) but they would rehire me for the winter. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the work place (college campus, lots of similar aged people). I was exposed to many different opportunities (grad school, research associates, conferences, etc.) and had the ability to make connects with professionals in other careers. Working as a lab tech make absolutely sure that you understand your roll and can work with the main researcher. Read their papers, reach out to employees (most labs have a webpage with contact info or current/past employees).
Cons
There was a lot of trunover -- mostly because people weren't interested in the work/research being done or advanced in their careers elsewhere. The CSU health network is a nightmare. They have different rates in Summer/Fall/Spring, but they do offer insurance as a tech. Getting on the payroll takes forever. I worked for about two weeks and had to backlog my hours because they needed/wanted me to work, but the Warner College HR/Employee Services office is so dumb.
