Level 3: Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship
At a glance:
Take the next step in your pharmacy career. Gain the skills, knowledge and General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) registration needed to work as a qualified Pharmacy Technician across community, hospital and primary care settings.
Duration: 24 Months
EPA: 3 Months
Roles Include: Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician (PTPT) in community pharmacies, GP practices, hospitals, mental health services and the prison service. Please note that roles in care homes, the pharmaceutical industry and HM Armed Forces may require a cross-sector placement to provide the full range of competencies required to complete the apprenticeship.
Professional Advice
Tailored Programmes
Highly Qualified Tutors
Expert Coaching
Level 3: Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship
A natural progression from Level 2
Over 60% of CoreEd’s Level 2 learners achieved a Distinction at their first end-point assessment. If you are ready to build on that foundation — or are entering the pharmacy sector with the right qualifications — the Level 3 Pharmacy Technician apprenticeship is your next step towards becoming a fully registered Pharmacy Technician.
What you’ll learn
As a Pre-Registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician (PTPT), you will develop the knowledge, technical skills and professional behaviours needed to work confidently alongside pharmacists across pharmacy sectors including community, primary care and hospital secondary care settings.
Your training will cover:
- Safe preparation, dispensing and supply of medicines and medical devices
- Pharmacy law, ethics, governance and Standard Operating Procedures
- Medicines Management, including Medicines Reconciliation and Supply
- Supporting patients and healthcare professionals with medicines advice
- Patient Group Directives (PGDs) and supporting the delivery of enhanced pharmacy services
- Prescription management, stock control and pharmacy software systems
- Scientific principles including pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, drug actions and uses, and disease management
- Audits and discharge management across pharmacy sectors
- Health and safety, infection control and legal responsibilities
The programme also includes two embedded Level 4 units, offering enhanced knowledge and technical skills:
- Undertake Medicines Reconciliation and Supply
- Check Dispensed Medicines and Products
On completion, you will be in a position to practise as a registered Pharmacy Technician and develop your career pathway within your chosen pharmacy sector.
Entry requirements
CoreEd and our awarding body Pearson have rigorous entry criteria for learners wishing to enrol on this course. These include:
- GCSE Maths, English and Science (Biology or Chemistry) at Grade 4 / C or above. A BTEC in Science is accepted for the science requirement. If you completed qualifications overseas, a UK ENIC assessment will be required.
- Level 2 Functional Skills in English and Maths if no GCSE grades are held
- Residency in the UK, EEA or EU for the last 3 years, with the ability to remain in the UK for the duration of the apprenticeship
- Current employment in a pharmacy setting, under the direct supervision of a pharmacy professional registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
The Level 3 Pharmacy Technician apprenticeship takes a minimum of 24 months, in line with GPhC guidance, followed by up to 3 months of End-Point Assessment.
You will be assigned a dedicated skills tutor and will receive access to Aptem, our e-portfolio system, where you can access digital learning resources and upload evidence of your progress.
You will have regular contact with your tutor through taught virtual learning sessions and progress reviews throughout the apprenticeship. CoreEd facilitates contact both remotely via Microsoft Teams and face-to-face, including workplace observations to validate your understanding and practice.
The EPA is the final stage of the apprenticeship and is completed by an independent external examiner. They will review your portfolio, which you will build throughout the programme, to confirm that all apprenticeship requirements have been met. The EPA window is up to 3 months, and you must remain in employment throughout this period.
Before you enter the EPA, you will go through the Gateway — a formal readiness meeting between you, your employer and your skills tutor to confirm you are prepared. CoreEd supports you towards Gateway from day one through portfolio building, evidence gathering and mock assessments.
Qualification
On completion, learners who achieve the Pearson BTEC Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice for Pharmacy Technicians are eligible to apply for professional registration as a Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
In the longer term, qualified Pharmacy Technicians can progress into supervisory and specialist roles within any pharmacy sector.
Blended learning
The course content will be delivered through a blended approach, which includes:
Taught Learning Sessions
As a learner, you will attend webinars and Microsoft Teams calls.
Digital Learning
Aptem is your online portfolio, where digital learning resources can be accessed and skills journals uploaded.
Additional Offline Learning
Alongside digital learning, some materials may need to be printed, completed offline, and then uploaded to Aptem as evidence.
Career Guidance
Our dedicated in-house careers lead provides personalised guidance throughout your journey.
