Demand For Pharmacy Technicians Expected To Grow

Health Care institutions across the U.S. are offering one- and two-year training programs to prepare students for a variety of health care occupations. The Health Care industry is expected to create millions of new jobs between now and 2014.

Providing 13.5 million jobs, health care was the largest industry in 2004. Eight of the top 20 occupations projected to grow the fastest by the US Department of Labor are in health care. Pharmacy Technician programs are designed to train graduates to work alongside pharmacists in retail pharmacies, grocery stores, department stores, and mass retailers.

Pharmacy technicians help licensed pharmacists provide medication and other health care products to patients. In hospitals, nursing homes and other assisted-living facilities, technicians have added responsibilities, including reading patients' charts and preparing and delivering medicine to the patients.

While many pharmacy technicians receive informal on-the-job training, employers prefer pharmacy technicians who have completed formal training and certification. There are currently few state and no Federal requirements for formal training or certification of pharmacy technicians. Employers who have insufficient resources to give on-the-job training often seek formally educated pharmacy technicians. Formal education programs and certification emphasize the technician's interest in and dedication to the work. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board administers the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination.

Median hourly earnings of wage and salary pharmacy technicians in May 2004 were $11.37. The middle 50 percent earned between $9.40 and $13.85 per hour.

Pharmacy technicians held about 258,000 jobs in 2004. Due to the growing demand for pharmacy technicians, employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to grow much faster than average during the period of 2004-2014

Source: HealthCareers.net, 8/8/06