Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals Certificate of Achievement

The Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals Certificate of Achievement introduces students to core concepts required for success in pharmacy technician careers, including drug classifications, body systems, safety and legal regulations, and pharmacy calculations. Students gain college credit while exploring the pharmacy field and building skills for entry-level employment in community, retail, and hospital pharmacy settings. This program is ideal for students pursuing health careers and is designed to be an on-ramp to advanced Pharmacy Technician training and California licensure pathways, with a work-based learning component that connects classroom instruction to real healthcare environments.

The Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals Certificate of Achievement is projected to serve approximately 90–120 students per academic year, with 30–40 students enrolling each semester, including the summer intersession. This estimate aligns with current participation trends in allied health dual enrollment pathways at West Los Angeles College and anticipated demand from partner school districts.

Because this is a new certificate, there is no prior completer data. Completion projections are based on the program’s one-term to one-year completion design and are modeled at a 70%–80% completion rate, consistent with similar short-term CTE allied health pathways supported by strong counseling and academic support systems.

Projected Enrollment and Completers

* Completion projections calculated at a 70%–80% completions range.

The Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals Certificate of Achievement is designed to introduce high school students to the pharmacy profession through a structured Career Technical Education (CTE) concurrent and dual enrollment pathway at West Los Angeles College. The program provides foundational knowledge in pharmacy operations, body systems, and pharmaceutical calculations, preparing students for entry-level employment and for continuation into West’s advanced Pharmacy Technician coursework and other allied health pathways.

Students who complete the Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals Certificate will be able to

1. Describe the role and responsibilities of pharmacy technicians across various healthcare settings, including community, hospital, and long-term care pharmacies.
2. Understand the fundamentals of human body systems and how they relate to common medications and drug classifications.
3. Apply accurate pharmaceutical calculations to support the safe preparation and dispensing of medications
4. Gain exposure to pharmacy practice environments through structured work-based learning that reinforces industry standards and expectations
5. Demonstrate workplace readiness skills, including professional communication, attention to detail, and safety awareness.

The Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals Certificate of Achievement consists of four required courses totaling 9 units. These courses are designed to provide foundational knowledge and skills that prepare students for further pharmacy technician training and related allied health pathways. All courses are existing offerings within the Pharmacy Technology and Cooperative Work Experience disciplines, which ensures that the program can be implemented efficiently using current instructional capacity and learning facilities.

The curriculum sequence builds progressively, beginning with an introduction to pharmacy practices, followed by the study of body systems, and culminating in the application of pharmaceutical calculations. A work-based learning component provides opportunities for students to apply their skills in professional healthcare settings, reinforcing both competency development and workplace readiness.

This certificate will be part of WLAC’s Career Technical Education (CTE) health pathways and aligns with programs that prepare students for entry-level allied health roles. It provides an early skills foundation and a stepping stone to higher credentials, including advanced Pharmacy Technology coursework and additional health science programs.

90-120 students per year

30-40 students each semester (including summer intersession)

N/A