Pharmacy Technician Training

Want a career as a pharmacy technician? Here’s some fact that is sure to please you if you want to make it big in this profession. But before that, you should know that to get that coveted job, you need pharmacy technician training. No decent organization is going to hire you if you don’t have pharmacy technician training.

But even before you take that training, you should ask yourself these two important questions, 

1. What is the job prospect like?
2. How much money can I earn as a pharmacy technician?

Of course you will want to take the training with some expectation. At the end of the training, you want to get a good job, and you want some decent earning. So you should know the job prospects and the salary that you can earn.

Job Prospects for a Pharmacy Technician

According to data released in 2008, the job prospects for those employed as technicians at pharmacies certainly looks very good. The number of jobs for those with pharmacy technician training is expected to grow by 31%, which is much more than the national average. Interestingly, the job prospects for pharmacy aids do not look so good. The number of jobs available is expected to fall by 6%. But for the technicians, it certainly looks bright. This is a good reason for opting for pharmacy technician training.

The number of people employed as technicians stood at 326,300 in 2018. By 2018, it is projected to grow to 426,000 – this is an addition of 99,800, or a growth of 31%. This data is from the National Employment Matrix.

The profession is expected to grow because, people are expected to live longer due to improvements in medical science. More elderly people means, they will want more prescription drugs, and this is bound to spur the demand for pharmacies and technicians. Do also remember that this is a recession-proof profession. No matter what the condition of the economy is, you must still buy drugs, because your health is not related to the economic condition.

How Much Can a Pharmacy Technician Earn?

The average hourly wage in 2008 was $13.32. The least money people were earning was $9.27, and the top workers were making as much as $18.98 for each hour of work done. The average money earned by the pharmacy aides stood at $9.66. With more jobs available, the salary for technicians is also expected to increase considerably.

Statistics also tells us that those who are certified will always get more salary. Of course those with experience will make more money as well. So, if you want to join this profession and draw a good salary, you should always get your pharmacy technician training. You will certainly get the better jobs, and earn more money. You cannot do anything about the experience, or lack of it, at this time at least, but you can certainly get the qualification you need. Pharmacies certainly prefer those who have attended a pharmacy technician training program.

It has also been predicted that the technicians will take on more administrative responsibilities in the future, and so, this is one reason why the demand for pharmacy aides is likely to go down. Since the technicians are expected to take on more responsibility, they will attract even more salary in the near future.

Pharmacy Technician Training Programs

There are quite a few pharmacy technician training programs you can select from. These programs are offered at hospitals, vocational schools, community colleges, and there are some pharmacies too that offer these programs. Usually, the program lasts for about 9 months, and the cost isn’t that high as well, considering the fact the earning is really decent.

In many US states, it is not mandatory to have passed a certification program to work as a pharmacy technician. However the fact is, very few employers would hire a pharmacy technician who does not have a certification. So though it is not essential, but it is always better to go for one. One popular certification program is the PTCE or the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination. Once you have taken this exam and passed, you will be known as a CPhT or a Certified Pharmacy Technician.

Do however keep in mind that even after certification, you will still need to licensed or registered as a pharmacy technician. Even after CPhT, you might still need to take a state exam. So, you should find out the requirements for pharmacy technician training and examination in your particular state – the regulations often do differ from one state to another.

Once you have got the pharmacy technician training, and passed the exam, getting a good job should be easy. If you are from one of the bigger cities, then you can even receive several job offers. Though initial salary won’t be great, but within just a year, you can expect to earn decent money as a pharmacy technician.