Pharmacy Tech Jobs in Richmond Are Growing
Richmond, Virginia is facing a growing demand for trained pharmacy technicians — and the FastForward Pharmacy Technician Certification program at Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA) is built to meet it. Hospitals, retail pharmacies, and regional health systems are actively hiring technicians. The question isn't whether the jobs are there. It's whether you're ready to step in and do the work.
Providing the opportunity to gain real-world pharmacy experience is where some workforce training programs fall short, but getting students out of the classroom and on the job is what the FastForward Pharmacy Technician Certification program at the Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA) is all about.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects steady growth in pharmacy technician employment nationally, driven by an aging population with increasing prescription needs and the continued expansion of retail and specialty pharmacy services. In a region home to major health systems, independent pharmacies, and growing outpatient care networks, trained and certified pharmacy techs are among the most consistently in-demand allied health workers available.
The difference between a candidate who gets hired and one who doesn't often comes down to one thing: hands-on experience backed by a recognized credential. That's exactly what the FastForward program is designed to deliver.
Hands-On Pharmacy Tech Training at Bremo Pharmacy in Richmond
Through a partnership with Bremo Pharmacy, one of Richmond's most respected independent pharmacies, CCWA students gain real-world experience in a fully functioning pharmacy. This isn't a simulation. It's the workplace where prescriptions are filled, inventory is managed, and patients are served every day. Students train with the same professionals who helped shape the curriculum. The curriculum reflects what happens in today's pharmacy workplaces because it was built by people working in them.
While enrolled, students:
- Observe and participate in daily pharmacy operations
- Practice prescription processing under professional supervision
- Learn medication safety and inventory management protocols
- Work directly alongside licensed pharmacy professionals
- Build the clinical communication skills employers look for from day one
The FastForward Pharmacy Technician Certification program is a 170-hour hybrid program, which means it fits around real life. Students complete 10 modules of online coursework over 20 weeks, alongside in-person practice simulations at the Bremo Pharmacy Training Center and 80 hours of supervised internship experience in a real pharmacy setting. There's no need to quit your job or put your life on hold to make a career change.
Upon completing the program, students are prepared to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam — the nationally recognized credential that employers across Virginia and the country use as their hiring benchmark. The program meets current Virginia Board of Pharmacy requirements for registration as a pharmacy technician trainee and is PTCB recognized, so graduates aren't just trained — they're credentialed and ready.
What CCWA Graduates Are Saying
Recent graduates of the program, Leron Gordon and Dystiny Carter, are already working in their new careers, applying the skills and confidence they built through the program to real pharmacy environments. As Gordon said, “I wouldn’t have gone back to school if it wasn’t for CCWA. I think it’s done nothing but show me, and will continue to show me, that there is much more within my grasp than I thought there ever was.”
Short-term credential training works because it removes the financial and time barriers that keep capable people out of healthcare careers. It builds skills quickly through months of focused, practical preparation. And it connects graduates directly to a workforce that's ready to hire them.
Tuition Assistance for Virginia Residents
Tuition assistance is available for Virginia residents, making this program accessible to people who are ready to work hard — regardless of where they're starting from
Ready to take the next step?
Learn more about the FastForward Pharmacy Technician Certification program, call 804-523-2292 to find out if you qualify for tuition assistance.
The FastForward program is offered through the Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA), the workforce division of Brightpoint and Reynolds Community Colleges, working together to serve the greater Richmond and Petersburg MSA.