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Pharmacy Technician

Kaihangarau Rongoā

Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists to prepare and give out medicines.

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Secondary education

You need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Useful subjects include English and maths.

Study fields

Study levels

  • Certificate

Useful experience

Useful experience for pharmacy technicians includes working as a pharmacy assistant, or other health or laboratory work.

What you will do

Pharmacy technicians may do some or all of the following:

  • receive prescriptions
  • prepare and mix medicines under the supervision of pharmacists
  • pack and label medicines
  • issue, deliver and keep records of completed prescriptions
  • maintain stock levels
  • help in the day-to-day running of the pharmacy
  • organise and repack bulk supplies into smaller containers for hospital wards and departments
  • deliver medicines to hospital wards.

Skills and knowledge

Pharmacy technicians need to have knowledge of:

  • medicines and the laws controlling their distribution
  • hazardous substances and how to handle them
  • first aid
  • the human body and how it is affected by different medicines.
Pay

Pharmacy technicians usually earn

$49K-$68K

per year

Pharmacy technicians can earn

$48K-$80K

per year

Job opportunities
Good
Chances of getting a job as a pharmacy technician are good due to a shortage of workers.
Length of training
2
years of training required.

Industry

Health

Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists to prepare and give out medicines.

Similar jobs in this industry

Entry requirements

You need a qualification to become a pharmacy technician and experience may be useful.

You need:

  • a New Zealand Certificate in Pharmacy (Pharmacy Technician – Advanced) (Level 5) OR
  • New Zealand Diploma in Pharmacy (Pharmacy Technician – Specialist) (Level 6)
  • a First Aid Certificate.

You may need experience as a pharmacy assistant or similar.

Chances of getting a job

Demand for pharmacy technicians is growing because:

  • an ageing population which means an increased demand for health care of all types
  • turnover is high as pharmacy technicians often move into careers in community health or in sales for drug companies
  • pharmacy technicians are taking on some tasks that used to be performed by pharmacists.

According to the Census, 2,418 pharmacy technicians worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Starting as a pharmacy assistant is a good way into the job

Most pharmacy technicians start off as sales assistants in pharmacies before starting pharmacy technician training.

Most pharmacy technicians work at community pharmacies

Most pharmacy technicians work at community pharmacies. A smaller number work in public hospital pharmacies, and a few work in wholesale sales, or manufacturing and research.

Find out more about training

Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand
(04) 802 0030 - p.society@psnz.org.nz - www.psnz.org.nz

Progression and specialisations

Pharmacy technicians may progress to senior positions with further training.

Pharmacy technicians can specialise as a:

Specialist technician
Specialist technicians check that pharmacies comply with legislation, train technicians, manufacture medications, manage dispensaries and do industrial research.

Working conditions

Pharmacy technicians:

  • usually work regular business hours
  • work in pharmacies/chemists and hospitals.

Physical Requirements

Pharmacy technicians need to have good eyesight (with or without corrective lenses).

Useful personal qualities

Pharmacy technicians need to be:

  • good communicators, friendly, patient and helpful 
  • organised, responsible and careful
  • able to work within a professional code of ethics and keep information private
  • accurate and observant, with an eye for detail
  • good at maths.

Industry

Health

Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists to prepare and give out medicines.

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