If you want to be part of keeping the community healthy and you're looking for an interesting and flexible job, a pharmacy assistant career could be perfect.
A job as a pharmacy assistant can positively impact you and those around you. And a qualification like Certificate III in Community Pharmacy from Chisholm can prepare you for the role.
Here's all you need to know about a career in pharmacy assistance.
What is a pharmacy assistant?
Pharmacy assistants work in retail pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, or chemist organisations. They work under the supervision of a pharmacist to provide customer service, manage stock, and advise on products.
Unlike other retail assistants, someone in a pharmacy assistant role has specialised knowledge of certain pharmaceutical or retail products. They can also assess a customer's situation and know when to refer them to the pharmacist.
What does a pharmacy assistant do?
As a pharmacy assistant, your duties could include:
- accepting prescriptions for the pharmacist
- offering information to customers about non-prescription medications, first aid supplies, toiletries and cosmetics
- providing advice about the correct application and storage of medicines
- processing payments and preparing sales invoices
- promoting pharmaceutical goods and services
- product placement and display
- stocktaking and managing product inventories.
Why become a pharmacy assistant?
There are currently more than 37,000 people employed in Australia as pharmacy sales assistants. The workforce has an annual growth of 500 employees, meaning more jobs will be available yearly.
There are many reasons why pharmacy assistant roles are a popular choice:
Meaningful work
As a pharmacy assistant, you make a difference in the community daily with advice and specialised customer service.
Varied tasks
No two days are the same working as a pharmacy assistant and the variety of work will keep you engaged, interested and always learning.
Career opportunities
With further training and qualifications, you could move into senior pharmacy roles like pharmacy technician. You could even study to become a pharmacist.
Pharmacy assistance qualifications span both health and business areas. Depending on your interests, you could find entry opportunities in fields like aged care or explore roles in administration or management.
Work-life balance
Pharmacy assisting is a career that can offer flexibility and is great for people with other life priorities.
Chisholm community pharmacy teacher Sheetal Kallada says one of the perks of pharmacy assistance is the flexibility it offers. According to the Australian Government's Job Outlook, less than half of pharmacy assistants work full-time.
"The best part about this job is that it gives people options," Sheetal says. "You can work part-time or evening shifts, depending on the lifestyle you want. Often, our students are mothers who don't want a full-time job or people coming from hospitality, where they have been working long hours."
How much does a pharmacy assistant make?
According to the Australian Government's Job Outlook, full-time pharmacy assistants earn around $932 per week. Sheetal says your pay can vary depending on your qualifications and the hours and days you work.
What qualities do pharmacy assistants need?
To work as a pharmacy assistant, you will need to have certain soft skills:
Social skills
Pharmacy assistants must have good customer service and interpersonal skills.
"In some instances, you build up such good rapport with regulars, you even get to know their pet's name," says Sheetal.
Excellent communication
Being able to communicate with a wide variety of people is important. You need to understand what the customer needs and help them find it. You'll need to be able to communicate effectively with teammates, senior staff and pharmacists every day.
Attention to detail
You’ll need to listen to customers' needs carefully and sometimes relay these to the pharmacist for further assistance. You’ll be responsible for processing payments and accurately handling prescriptions.
How to become a pharmacy assistant in Australia
You don't need formal qualifications to work as a pharmacy assistant, but a pharmacy assistant course will give you the skills to work in the industry confidently. A qualification will also allow you to stand out from other job applicants.
Pharmacy assistant courses
Chisholm's Certificate III in Community Pharmacy is a popular choice. The course allows you to develop the skills needed to thrive in a community pharmacy setting.
Sheetal says one of the great things about this course is that it includes pharmacy assistant training through practical placement.
"It means students can put all that learning into practice," she says. "They're actually working in a pharmacy, they see what the environment is like, they work in the dispensary alongside the pharmacist, and this is a great experience for them."
Sheetal says that sometimes placements lead to employment. "A lot of the students – more than 30%, I'd say – actually get hired," she says. "If they tick all of the boxes, we have a lot of employers hiring students during their work placements."
Once your course is completed, you can further your studies if you want to work alongside the pharmacist in the dispensary.
With plenty of job opportunities, and the ability to positively impact those around you, entry-level pharmacy assisting roles can be a launchpad for a great career.
"Overall, pharmacy assistance is an exciting career that can be very rewarding, "says Sheetal.
Do you like the sound of a career in pharmacy assistance? Explore a Chisholm TAFE course in pharmacy and retail.
