ANZSCO: 2515
PHARMACISTS
… ensure safe and quality use of medicines, and optimise health outcomes by contributing to
selecting, prescribing, monitoring and evaluating medicine therapy, and researching, testing
and developing pharmaceuticals and medical products.
Note: Only 251511 Hospital Chemist and 251513 Retail Pharmacist are included on the
Skilled Occupations List (SOL).
Indicative Skill Level
Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a Bachelor degree
or higher qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).
Skilled Occupation Criteria
Long-lead time
Pharmacists meet the criteria for long lead time, as entry to this occupation requires a
substantial training commitment.

Employment as a Pharmacist generally requires the completion of a university qualification
of at least four years study (full-time equivalent), such as a Bachelor of Pharmacy.
High use
Pharmacists meet the criteria for high use, showing that the skills which people have acquired
through education and training are being deployed for the uses intended.

Based on advice from Universities Australia, university courses in pharmacy have a strong
degree of match with eventual employment as a Pharmacist.

Of new graduates employed as Pharmacists, 85% had studied pharmacy (Australian
Graduate Survey, 2009).

As professionals, Pharmacists are expected to have a level of skill commensurate with a
Bachelor degree or higher qualification. Of those employed as Pharmacists, 100% were
found to possess this level of skill (ABS Survey of Education and Work, 2010).1
High risk
Pharmacists also meet the criteria for high risk/high disruption. This indicates that the
occupation is important for the effective operation of an enterprise and/or the broader economy.

Pharmacists are required to register with the National Pharmacy Board of Australia in order
to be nationally registered to practise pharmacy in any state or territory in Australia.

Pharmacists are important to meet government policy priorities at both the Commonwealth
and state level. These include meeting the recommendations of the National Health and
Hospitals Reform Commission, the Clinical Training Funding Initiative and the Clinical
Supervision Support Program.
251512 Industrial Pharmacist has not been included on the Skilled Occupations List
(SOL).
1
Analysis for the Skilled Occupations List (SOL) was conducted using the latest available data, including the 2010
ABS Survey of Education and Work (SEW). Percentages may therefore differ from those cited in the ‘Occupation
Trends’ analysis (over the page), which uses alternative sources in some instances (e.g. the 2008 ABS Survey of
Education and Work). Small sample sizes for some occupations may also result in fluctuations in the SEW data
between 2008 and 2010. The specific data sources used for the Occupation Trends analysis can be found on the
Skills Australia website: http://www.skillsaustralia.gov.au/SOLsummarysheets.shtml.

Industrial Pharmacists are a niche occupation of fewer than 600 workers (2006 Census),
with more appropriate migration avenues available for employers to meet skills needs.
Occupation trends
ANZSCO: 2515
Pharmacists
Employment level
6 digit employment
(2006 Census)
17,250 More than half of workers (68.5%) are employed full-time.
251511 Hospital Pharmacist 1720
251512 Industrial Pharmacist 590
251513 Retail Pharmacist 13,010
Employment growth
Unemployment rate
Over the five years to August 2010, employment increased by
26.3% (compared with growth of 12.1% for all occupations).
Employment is expected to rise by 16.5% over the next five years
(compared with projected growth of 9.5% for all occupations).
Below average (around 1.7%) compared with all occupations.
Educational profile
Around 83.3% have a Bachelor degree or higher qualification.
Vacancies
The Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) fell by 38.2% over the 12 months
to September 2010 to 94.4 (March 2006=100). Vacancies for all
occupations rose by 19.4%.
Around 55.6% of workers in this occupation are female (compared
with 45.4% for all occupations).
Around 6.4% of workers leave this occupation in a year compared
with 13.1% for all occupations.
The median age is 40.8 years and 38.1% are aged 45 years and
over (compared with 38.5% for all occupations).
Median full-time weekly earnings (before tax) are high ($1500).
Graduate Careers Australia data show that in the field of Pharmacy,
98% of Bachelor degree graduates were working full-time four
months after graduating, 62% of whom were employed as Health
Professionals, followed by 37% who were employed as
Engineering, ICT and Science Technicians.
Shortages of Hospital and Retail Pharmacists were evident from
2000 to 2008.
Gender
Labour turnover
Age profile
Earnings
Graduate outcomes
Skill shortages
Labour market
This labour market is dominated by Retail Pharmacist which at the 2006 Census accounted for
85% of employment in the group.
251511,13 Hospital and Retail Pharmacists: After persistent shortages over the ten years to
2008, research undertaken in 2009 and 2010 shows shortages are no longer widespread.
Employers seeking Retail Pharmacists in metropolitan areas did not generally experience any
difficulty recruiting, although employers in some regional locations experienced some difficulty
recruiting. The labour market for Hospital Pharmacists is tighter with some evidence that
vacancies for highly experienced Hospital Pharmacists are difficult to fill. Graduate positions
reportedly attract large numbers of applicants and are readily filled. The easing in this labour
market appears to be attributable in part to new training courses now producing graduates,
which has increased supply of qualified applicants.
251512 Industrial Pharmacist: Not assessed
Summary
Shortages were not apparent in early 2010 and employers experienced very little difficulty
recruiting. The level of advertised vacancies has fallen markedly over the past year and it is at
a relatively low level compared with those recorded over 2006 to 2008. Employment growth
over the past five years has been strong and growth over the next five years is expected to
continue at an above average rate. Unemployment is low and graduate outcomes are sound.