National Apprenticeship Week, which concludes on Sunday (11 February), celebrates the achievements of apprentices around the country and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.
In Hertfordshire and west Essex, the apprenticeship opportunities include a nursing associate, social care, healthcare support worker, and more.
One opportunity is as a pharmacy technician, who have a role in places like community pharmacies, hospitals, primary care, care homes, industry, and integrated care boards (ICBs). The profession’s versatility extends to academia, clinical trials, health and justice, mental health, and procurement. There is the potential for a varied and interesting career path and pharmacy technicians can go on to explore education, leadership, policy and regulation, and public health.
To enrol on a pre-registration trainee pharmacy technician training programme, you will typically need four GCSEs or equivalent at grade A*-C/9-4. Training programmes are available through both apprenticeship and non-apprenticeship routes and involve a two-year competency and knowledge-based qualification. There’s also hands-on learning in a pharmacy. When you’ve completed the training programme, you can apply for registration as a Pharmacy Technician in Great Britain with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
Emily Frost (pictured, second from left) has just completed an exciting cross-sector Pre-Registration Pharmacy Technician apprenticeship through East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Hertfordshire Community Trust and our ICB. She took the time to answer some questions about what inspired her to go down the apprenticeship route and what value it has given her. Read Emily’s apprenticeship story.
Ready to find out more? Go to our pharmacy technician webpage or email [email protected]. You can also visit our Health and Care Academy website for more about apprenticeships.