Healthy job prospects

Chemist doors open wide for pharmacy graduates

VACANCIES for pharmacist positions across the Far North are at the highest in almost a decade.

The claims from Alive Pharmacy founder Nick Loukas come as Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show medical and health related positions in Cairns have increased 10 per cent since 2014.

In May this year, 13,200 people were employed within the healthcare and social assistance sector in the Cairns, Douglas, Tablelands and Cassowary Coast regions.

That number was 11,900 in 2014 and just 8800 in 2007.

A spike of 14,000 employed health professionals in the region during 2012 did not conform to the trend, however.

Conus business consultant Pete Faulkner said, with a population continuing to rise, jobs in the health sector would increase.

But the area had not been a major growth area in the Cairns region over the last 12 months.

“I can see it continuing to increase over the next five years due to residential requirements and the National Disability Insurance Scheme,” he said.

“Health care employment is very much tied to population growth and we are currently growing at just under 2 per cent per year.”

Mr Loukas said he was struggling to fill pharmacy positions in Cooktown and Townsville.

“There is a large undersupply at the moment and demand is growing,” he said.

“The availability for pharmacists is the worst I’ve seen it for 10 years. I think there was a misconception a few years ago that there were no jobs and that resulted in fewer university graduates.

“Thankfully it is starting to increase and job opportunities are excellent for pharmacists, especially if you want to go rural.”

Mr Loukas said pharmacy was still a “fantastic profession” with plenty of opportunities.