Pharmacy technician instructor has spent a decade helping Torrance Adult School students find rewarding medical careers
“It’s definitely rewarding to see students I helped teach land a job that they’ve worked hard to get,” says Leticia Wang, who serves as a resource teacher for computer applications and pharmacy technician instructor at Torrance Adult School. “Some become pharmacists, some may become nurses, some may become physicians assistants, but they all come from our program and it is a good feeling to see these students achieve their goals.”
Wang has taught at TAS for 10 years, and previously worked as a pharmacy technician at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center before transitioning into education. She helps run Certified Technical Education (CTE) programs at the school alongside another dedicated long-time teacher, Yowanda Salter. The pair use their combined knowledge, expertise and compassion to prepare students for new careers.
Each incoming student receives a personalized academic plan so they know what requirements they need to meet to obtain certification and how long their training will take. While in the program they have access to training, counseling, externships and job placement support. TAS support staff also help connect students with support to overcome other barriers—from transportation to financial assistance—as well.
“I know some graduates of our program who are managers now. We accept students with open arms and help them out as long as they are willing to put in the work.”
Leticia Wang, Torrance Adult School Resource Teacher for Computer Applications
The medical CTE classes are conducted at TAS’s Levy Campus and can be a critical lifeline for low-income people in the community because of the relatively affordable tuition compared to other education and training facilities. The medical CTE classes TAS offers are open enrollment and offered at low- to no-cost, which is made possible because of funding provided by the State of California to bolster the state’s healthcare workforce. The cost to become a pharmacy tech elsewhere can total tens of thousands of dollars and take a year or more to finish, but the same program at TAS costs students as little as $1,000 and only requires months to complete and become workforce ready.
Students are required to purchase and wear uniforms, which costs $30; purchase liability insurance; obtain a valid CPR card before starting the required externship; and must have a high school equivalency or high school diploma before enrolling in a medical CTE training program. TAS also offers high school diploma and equivalency (GED/HiSET) courses under the Adult Basic Education/Adult Secondary (ABE/ASE) program for interested students.
Wang says enrolling in medical terminology is a good way to start for students interested in entering the medical sector. This foundational course serves as a pathway to different careers within the medical industry and teaches the language of medicine, anatomy and pharmacology.
Students not only learn in the classroom, but they are given lab training and required to complete an additional externship for hands-on practice at an outpatient facility. The training prepares students for a myriad of jobs within the medical industry.
TAS is also well-known among area employers who often recruit the school’s graduates, and students are regularly hired for vacant positions at the companies TAS partners with for its externship program.
“It is fulfilling to see students who went through our program move on to good paying careers,” Wang says. “Some of these people have had so many doors slammed in their face or have not had a good experience at another school. When they come here they tell us what a big difference it is.
“They overcome their barriers and succeed, get their national certification, and obtain great jobs,” Wang continues. “I know some graduates of our program who are managers now. We accept students with open arms and help them out as long as they are willing to put in the work.”
For more information on how Torrance Adult School can help you achieve your goals, visit www.tusd.org/tas or call 310-533-4689.
Written by Whip Villarreal
| Regions | Classes |
|---|---|
| South Coast California | Careers in Health Care |
