From Publishing to Pharmacy Technician: James’ Journey

James’ journey started in publishing. While he found that there was a lot of growth, he also realized that this was an unstable industry. Most of the information published was about sports events and unfortunately, when COVID-19 hit us, the situation changed for the worse.

In comparison, James’ girlfriend, a Pharmacy Technician working at Sunnybrook Hospital, was still working and didn’t notice much change to her work schedule. James was interested in her career and she suggested that he look into it for himself. “You would have a bit more free time and a sustainable career. I think you’d like it,” she told him.

James started to do more research into what his girlfriend had studied when she was in the Pharmacy Technician program at Anderson College. The next step was for him to enroll as well. As he was still working, it was important for him to have his days free and he was happy that the college offered evening classes. “ I don’t think I would have been able to go to school if I hadn’t been offered an evening program, so I’m really fortunate,” said James.

Enrolling during a pandemic can be a little bit more challenging, especially tracking down information and other prerequisites. But James had help from Patricia, one of our Admissions Advisors. “I really can’t thank her enough for how helpful she was guiding me through that application process. It can be difficult when you’re not seeing or talking to anyone in person but she was fantastic,” he added.

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As he was already used to working from home, having done so for the past two years, starting classes online wasn’t difficult for James, especially as the classes were focused on theory. He explained, “ I don’t imagine it would have been much different in the class if we were there since we are given lectures, assignments, opportunities to discuss things and videos.“

Studying from home has been a great advantage for James. As he is working from nine to five, and then starts his classes right after-work, time management is of the essence. “After class, I can work on projects and assignments, and I don’t have to worry about getting up at six in the morning or travelling to work, so that helps,” he explained.

James is now looking forward to putting the theory he learned in the program into practice. “It’s one thing to know what you need to do to, but it’s another thing to physically do it,” he added.

For those who are interested in starting the Pharmacy Technician program, James gave some valuable advice: “Stay ahead of your homework, be organized, and don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions. I’ve asked a lot of them and they’ve been helpful!”

Start your Pharmacy Technician career today! Learn more about the course here or book a virtual appointment with our Admissions team.