Centennial College’s two-year pharmacy technician program prepares you for rewarding careers in constantly growing healthcare industry in corporate, community and clinical settings. Students who have studied or are studying science in high school can apply for this program.

1. Career Advice for Aspiring Pharmacy Technicians
Pharmacists are more in demand even in tough economic times. And the demand is expected to
increase further in the coming years. The reasons include expansion of healthcare industry, aging
population and patients’ expectations for better care and quick service.
If you’re also drawn to the idea of building a rewarding career in this field, preparing, dispensing and
compounding medications, interacting with patients and healthcare service providers, and managing
pharmacies, a program in pharmacy technician can be the best option for you.
Pharmacy technician programs prepare you for fulfilling careers in corporate, hospital, community and
chain pharmacies. By the end of the program, you’ll be well versed in pharmacology, pharmaceutical
calculations, inventory control, institution and community dispensing and industry safety and quality
standards, policies and procedures.
Career Advice
Here is the career advice for aspiring pharmacy technicians.
 Consider if you have the right attitude and attributes to become and work as a
pharmacy technician. Education plays a crucial role but the right attitude is
equally important. As a pharmacy technician, you’re expected to pay great
attention to the detail. You will be responsible for the damages caused to the
patients or anyone in question if you make any mistakes as one wrong act can
have serious health implications on your customers.
 You will have to study science in your high school. Mathematics is another core
subject that you should study at school level. Proficiency in English is one of the
main criteria for building a career in this field in Canada because as a pharmacy
technician you will have to constantly communicate with the doctors, patients
and pharmaceutical companies.
 Once you complete your secondary education, look for a reputable pharmacy technician
course. Enroll yourself in a program that incorporates hands-on lab, internships with
pharmacies in community, corporate and hospital settings. Centennial College’s two-year post-
secondary program in pharmacy technician is one of the most prestigious programs in Canada.
The curriculum is based on the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities
(NAPRA) competencies. In addition, the college provides students with three field placements.
 Study the subjects covered in your pharmacy course carefully and in-depth. Along with
acquiring knowledge in prescription and non-prescription drugs, anatomy and physiology,
aseptic technique principles, and pharmacology, it’s important to focus on understanding ethics
in business, home health care, institution communication and operations, and pharmacy
management. Graduates with strong technical and non-technical knowledge and skills have
greater chances of finding decent paying jobs.
 Register with the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP), in order to practice as pharmacy
technicians in the state of Ontario. For this, you can follow the pathway shown by the college to

2. registration and meet the requirements as a graduate of a Canadian-Accredited Pharmacy
Technician program.
The industry field placements allow you to gain hands-on experience in diverse real-world settings.
You also gain valuable contacts that you can use as references in future to find work. The mantra of a
successful career as a pharmacy technician is to enroll in a reputable college and build strong
theoretical base and gain experience through industry field placements.