Kerry Gilmore

I have worked in pharmacy for 16 years. I started out without any experience of working in pharmacy and quickly grew to love my career. Today, I teach on the BTEC Level 2 & 3 Pharmacy courses and I am one of two lead NVQ IVs who coordinate the NVQ Pharmacy course for Pharmacy Assistants and Pharmacy Technicians at the South Eastern Regional College (SERC), Northern Ireland.

I applied for a Student Pharmacy Technician post at Antrim Area Hospital and progressed to the position of Senior Clinical Pharmacy Technician. During this time, I took up a part-time post at SERC teaching on the BTEC course and assessing on the NVQ and I progressed to my current positions.

I feel there needs to be more promotion within career events at schools to get students thinking about pharmacy technicians as an option to a successful career. Technicians make such a difference to the overall service patients receive and provide a high standard of care that isn’t  highlighted enough. I get great satisfaction from my job when I see the change in students, who, - starting out unsure in their pharmacy journey,  grow into confident individuals when they complete their course and becoming passionate about their new professional undertaking.