Pharmacy technicians
Career Overview
Pharmacy technicians:
- Perform functions relating to prescriptions including gathering patients’ information, product preparation, product distribution and inventory control
- Work with pharmacists to provide pharmaceutical care to clients
- Work in retail and hospital pharmacies, long-term care facilities and at pharmaceutical manufacturers
- Pharmacy technicians who are supervisors are included in this unit group
Duties
Pharmacy technicians:
- Assist pharmacists to maintain inventories of medications and prescription records of pharmaceutical products
- Ensure the information on prescriptions is accurate
- Enter client information in databases
- Prepare medications for clients
- Compound oral solutions, ointments and creams
- Provide instructions on how to use health aids and medical devices, such as drug administration devices and monitoring devices
- Bill third party insurers
- May help with scheduling and workflow
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
2,525% Employed Full Time
66%Work is carried out in an indoor medical environment.
Career Pathways
Pharmacy technicians may progress to supervisory positions with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Job Titles
Education, Training and Skills
Pharmacy technicians usually require:
- Completion of a two-year pharmacy technician college program, or
- Completion of a two- to three-year college program in pharmaceutics and supervised practical training
- Completion of the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) certification exams is required for pharmacy technicians
- Registration with College of Pharmacists of British Columbia is required
Pharmacy technicians who are certified for that occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.
For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.
Contact the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
View a list of B.C. occupational regulators.
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Rehabilitation/Therapeutic Services
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
2,525Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 60 | 2.4% |
| Kootenay | 105 | 4.2% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,475 | 58.4% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 55 | 2.2% |
| Northeast | 35 | 1.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 345 | 13.7% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 450 | 17.8% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)
1,100Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 30 | 0.9% |
| Kootenay | 30 | 0.7% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 660 | 1.7% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 20 | 0.9% |
| Northeast | 10 | -0.5% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 150 | 1.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 210 | 1.1% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2023-2033) |
|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 630 |
| Health Care And Social Assistance | 470 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
