A pharmacy technician apprenticeship has moved up to just one place behind nursing in the rankings across all apprenticeships.
It has moved up from number 33 in 2023/24, and number 48 in 2022/23.
Read more: New pharmacy tech apprentice scheme ‘fully booked’ in one day
“This not only highlights the increasing demand and value of this vital role, but also contributes significantly to strengthening our healthcare workforce,” said Skills4Pharmacy’s managing director Jamie Crinigan, adding he was “thrilled to see such substantial growth”.
Funded apprenticeships
Meanwhile Numark launched a second round of a fully funded pharmacy technician apprenticeship after its first round was fully booked up in January.
The pharmacy membership organisation has opened the apprenticeship to its members across England, including those who applied for the NHS England Community Pharmacy Technician Programme.
Members who were not successful for the NHS programme, or did not apply for NHS funding, are eligible to apply for funding to cover the fees.
Read more: ‘You’re Hired!’: Can apprentices play a bigger role in pharmacy?
Numark chair Harry McQuillan said the “pharmacy technician workforce is critical to community pharmacy’s future success”.
Numark is partnering with training provider Buttercups Training to deliver the next round of the apprenticeship and is supported by the Phoenix Group.
It said Buttercups and its parent organisation, the BPP Education Group, secured additional funding to run the second round of apprenticeships.
Read more: GPhC and NHSE appoint first joint pharmacy technician fellow
The first round in January had all 62 places subscribed within the first day, and it was fully funded by over half a million pounds of apprenticeship levy gifting.
Numark said those who successfully applied to the NHS programme are receiving £15,053 per year from NHS England (NHSE) for the two-year programme.
Read more: Skills4Pharmacy raises over £1m to fund 130 apprentices
In April, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and NHSE appointed Olivia Musson as their “new national pharmacy technician fellow”.
And in February, Skills4Pharmacy announced it had funded 130 apprentices using over £1million in levy transfer funding.
