As students look for careers with more stability, expect more and more to flock to schools with this job training program. 

Employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to increase by 25 percent from 2008 to 2018. This is a much faster increase than the average for all occupations, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In addition to job possibilities, prospective students may be attracted to the flexible training. Certification programs take less than a year to complete and usually offer flexible class schedules and work experience opportunities.

The end result: New pharmacy techs can expect to make anywhere from $26,660 to $43,930 upon graduating for medical work that doesn’t involve blood, needle sticks or direct contact with sick patients. It can also act as a precursor to more formal pharmacist training.

While the career training is short, students still need a strong educational background to succeed. A pharmacy tech needs good communication and critical thinking skills, along with math comprehension to handle calculations and balance chemical equations.

Tags: job training, Pharmacy technician