LCCC launches new Pharmacy Technician program
Students interested in a career as a pharmacy technician can now earn a Certificate of Completion in just one semester through Lewis and Clark Community College, starting in the Spring 2022 semester.
With the changing role of pharmacists and the evolution of national healthcare services, the demand for more educated and trained pharmacy technicians to assist pharmacists in the preparation of prescriptions has increased.
Illinois requires pharmacy technicians to be certified within two years of earning a pharmacy technician license in order to renew. In fact, 47 states require pharmacy technicians to be registered/licensed or certified, often both.
According to LCCC’s Dean of Career Programs Sue Czerwinski, pharmacy technician positions are in demand, with ample employment opportunities available across the region.
“The Pharmacy Technician program will prepare students for the responsibility of working under the supervision of a registered pharmacist,” she said. “Students will have the necessary training to qualify them for positions in retail pharmacies, hospitals and call centers.”
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for pharmacy technicians is on the rise, with an average of 31,700 openings projected annually over the next decade.
The new program is being headed by Coordinator and Assistant Professor Kayci Sackmann, who holds a Master of Business Administration from Missouri Baptist University and a Doctor of Pharmacy from SIUE.
Sackmann believes the technician program will be an important first step to a number of related opportunities.
“There is a vast array of professional settings and patient areas that someone can go into,” Sackmann said. “Pharmacy is one of those professions where you can see the impact of your work and how it is helping to improve lives.”
As an LCCC alumna and Elsah native, Sackmann is excited for the opportunity to use her skills to help students become strong job candidates in a competitive marketplace.
“Lewis and Clark is a very positive educational and work environment,” she said. “The Pharmacy Technician program will not only provide students with the knowledge they need to pass the certification exam, but it will shape them into competent, well-rounded technicians.”
Enrollment can be done all the way through the start of classes, Jan. 18, 2022.
For information contact Sackmann at (618) 468-4933. To enroll, call/text the Enrollment Center at (618) 468-2222.
The college will reopen Jan. 3, 2022.
PHOTO: Dr. Kayci Sackmann will head LCCC’s Pharmacy Technician program. Enrollment for the new program is open now for Spring semester. Photo and story by Jan Dona, LCCC Marketing & Public Relations
