Help getting started in Pharmaceutical industry

Alexandria

HI all
Whilst taking my time out to be a mummy I have decided I want to move into the pharmaceutical industry. I would love to be a pharmacist but I can not afford to attend university. I have seen student pharmacy technician posts advertised and applied for these as the salary would cover my childcare costs but have been unsuccessful.
All my experience to date is in finance and customer service team management so totally unrelated.
Does anyone have any advice on how to rbeak into this industry, are there any recommended routes in etc?
All advice would be appreciated.
TIA
Alex

filigree_2

For certain NHS related degree courses you can get a bursary, it might be worth looking into that. Maybe you could afford a degree course then

Alexandria

hi filigree- I have looked into the bursary situation but my childcare costs will be approx £11.5k so I would still be about £6k down and I just can't afford to do that. My husband has said he doesn't mind me staying at home with the children till he earns enough to cover the outgoing of my re-education but I am already 27 so really want to get started.

Dumyat

where were the technicians jobs? nhs?
some of the big chain pharmacies like boots have training schemes. I was at a study day recently and was very surprised at the number of types of "jobs" within your average chemist. would working in your local pharmacy be an option to get some experience?

Alexandria

Dogrose, yes they were NHS ones. I shall have a look around the local pharmacies. thanks for that sugestion.

Nile

dogrose wrote: »

where were the technicians jobs? nhs?
some of the big chain pharmacies like boots have training schemes. I was at a study day recently and was very surprised at the number of types of "jobs" within your average chemist. would working in your local pharmacy be an option to get some experience?

Hello Alexandria

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong:o but I believe that the Boots 'pharmacy technician' qualification is unique to Boots and may not be recognised by other pharmacies.

It might be better to find a position with your local pharmacy as suggested by dogrose.

Good luck with your job search.

Regards

Nile

redsquirrel80

Don't know if you have one near you but I worked for the Co-op Chemist for a while - started as a general shop assistant first, even as this they provided a structured training scheme in health advice and medicine regulations, they were also very willing to train anyone who was interested in dispensing etc, and encouraged them onto further training to become pharmacy technicians. I imagine most chains like that would do the same - Lloyds etc. I did some dispensing and really enjoyed it, although I decided to move on to something else.

I'm sure your previous experience will help you in that you have customer service skills, and working in finance generally requires accuracy which is vital in dispensing!

Sugar_Coated_Owl

I'm a dispensing assistant/tch. in a pharmacy. I started out as a Sat. girl when I was 16. After I left college there was a full-time shop vacancy in another store. I worked there for a year and then there was a vacancy for a dispenser. I was offered the job and have been there ever since.