Pharmacy Technician Careers and Job Description

Currently, the future job outlook for pharmacy technicians and aides is strong and growing fast, so now is the time to get involved and see if this career path is something worth investigating.



The career outlook for pharmacy aides is good. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) the expected increase in job opportunities is 25% to 2018. This is a faster than average for all occupations. This is due to the ever-aging population requiring more prescription drugs and the possibilities for the increase in health prescription drug coverage. Job creation will be made to replace people leaving this occupation as they advance. The average yearly income is fairly competitive considering the qualifications can be minimal compared to some other careers. Continue reading here.

3 Information Technology Degrees That Will Still Be Critical in 2018

Over the past 20 years, computers and the Internet have grown to become a huge part of almost every major industry in America.  In fact, the field of information technology (IT) is now an industry unto itself – one that generates hundreds of billions of dollars a year.  But the IT world changes rapidly; computer programming degrees held immense value 10 years ago, but now they are largely considered obsolete.

So if you’re looking to go into this field, how do you know what kind of IT degree to pursue?  Well, no one can say with 100% accuracy what the job market will look like in the future.  But based on current trends and growth, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is confident that three types of IT degrees will still be critical to the industry through 2018:

1. Network technology and network security.  The growth of the IT industry brought linked computer systems called networks to millions of businesses, government offices and other organizations.  Network technology professionals maintain such computer systems, while network security professionals protect them from computer viruses, hacking attempts and other threats.  The two fields often overlap, and small organizations typically employ one person to handle both jobs.

IT degrees that can lead you to a network technology or network security job include an AAS in IT Security, a BS in Network Technology and an MBA in Network and Communications Management.  The BLS estimates much faster than average job growth in this part of the IT field through 2018.

2. Software engineering.  Over the past decade, software engineering has slowly replaced computer programming as the preferred IT development skill set.  Software engineers create, test, maintain and update the software that allows computers to perform their functions. However, software engineers do more than code in a computer language; they are often responsible for all phases of software design and development.

IT degrees that can help you enter the software engineering field include an AA in Information Systems, a BS in Software Architecture and an MS in Software Engineering.  The BLS predicts that there will be much faster than average job growth in this part of the IT field through 2018.

3. Web development.  Web developers – sometime called web designers – create websites for businesses, individuals, news organizations and anyone else who wants a presence on the Internet. There are hundreds of millions of active websites today, and that number is only growing.  HTML skills are essential for web developers, and knowledge of other markup languages and applications (such as XML and XHTML) can be important as well.

IT degrees that can help you secure a web development position include an AAS in Web Development, a BS in Information Systems – Web Development and an MA in Web Design.  As with network technology and software engineering, the BLS estimates that there will be much faster than average job growth in this part of the IT field through 2018.

The Top 5 Moneymaking Degrees You Can Earn Online

The information age is revolutionizing the way we do almost everything, from watching movies and playing games to communicating with our families and business partners. Education is no different; the Sloan Consortium reports that over 4.6 million students took online college courses in 2008 – that’s 17% growth over the previous year*. But if you’re going to study online, which degree programs are best?

1. Business programs, including Master of Business Administration (MBA). Online college courses in business work well because business classes do not generally involve hands-on lab work that requires face-to-face instruction. Instead, business majors often acquire their practical experience through jobs and internships. Online MBA programs are excellent for working adults who want to take their business career to the next level, but can’t attend regular classes because of work and family commitments.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that business management analysts earned between $41,910 and $133,850 in 2008, depending on location, experience and the type of company at which they worked**.

2. Nursing programs, including Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The BLS estimates that nursing will expand by 22% through 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth has created enormous demand for nursing education, so many schools have introduced online college courses in this field. A large number of nurses attain registered nurse (RN) licensure through associate’s degree programs, but later decide to earn a BSN so they can advance their careers. This has made online RN to BSN programs very popular.

The BLS reports that RNs earned between $43,410 and $92,240 in 2008, depending on location, experience and the type of facility in which they worked**.

3. Information technology (IT) programs. The IT field naturally lends itself to web-based learning, making online college courses in areas like computer programming and software engineering very common. The BLS also estimates that employment for computer software engineers and programmers will expand by 21% though 2018 – including almost 300,000 new software engineering jobs. This kind of growth ensures that more and more schools will add IT programs to their online offerings.

The BLS reports that computer software engineers and programmers earned between $53,720 and $128,870 in 2008, depending on experience, location and the type of company at which they worked**.

4. Healthcare administration programs. Many healthcare workers who begin their careers on the patient care side of the field later decide to move into administration. Because many of them already have work and family responsibilities, the flexible scheduling of online college courses is something they require. This makes web-based healthcare administration programs very popular, and a large number of schools are expanding their offerings in this area to keep up with demand.

The BLS reports that medical and health services managers earned between $48,300 and $137,800 in 2008, depending on experience, location, and the type of facility in which they worked**.

5. Criminal justice programs. The field of criminal justice is considered exciting by many young people. It also attracts those who feel a desire to serve their community, including many former members of the military. Most schools that offer online college courses have criminal justice programs for these reasons. Those who want to become police officers typically pursue an associate's degree, while those who want to work as detectives usually enter bachelor's programs.

The BLS reports that police officers earned between $30,070 and $79,680 in 2008, while detectives made between $36,500 and $114,300 during the same period**.

*Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States, 2009 (released January 2010)

**Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition (accessed August 2010)