CONESTOGA COLLEGE
Conestoga community celebrates grand opening of new high-tech pharmaceutical centre

The Centre for Pharmaceutical Studies is part of a major expansion of Conestoga's health-care facilities and training programs. To ensure career-ready graduates are available to support the health-care needs of local communities, the college has invested approximately $50 million in cutting-edge laboratories equipped with the latest instruments, tools and infrastructure for expanded programming in health sciences, biomedical studies, expanded Personal Support Worker training, and the college's new stand-alone Bachelor of Nursing degree.

"This centre represents a significant milestone in our commitment to providing top-tier education and fostering innovation in the field of pharmacy education," said Natalia Ronda, dean, School of Health & Life Sciences.

"We are so fortunate to be able to offer the most modern equipment that facilitates pharmacy workflow automation and medication packaging. Our students will be prepared not only to work in pharmacies of today, but the pharmacies of tomorrow, and their skills will be highly sought after as the complexity of technology continues to evolve."

The launch of the centre was made possible through the support of Toronto-based philanthropist Diane Blake.

"On behalf of Conestoga, I extend my deepest thanks to Diane Blake for making this meaningful investment, for providing opportunities for students, and for recognizing the value college graduates bring to our communities," said Conestoga President John Tibbits.

"Your support of this facility and our students is an important investment in highly-trained graduates and plays a crucial role in the optimization of pharmacy service provision and new drug development to the ultimate benefit of patients and the health-care system."

Conestoga welcomed students to its Pharmacy Technician and Community Pharmacy Assistant programs in fall 2024 to address the need for high-quality graduates.

"Conestoga's approach to hands-on learning is something that was very appealing to me. I find it satisfying to learn from someone who can show me how to do things correctly and accurately," said Conestoga Pharmacy Technician student Martin McNaney.

"I am thoroughly enjoying this program so far and I have already greatly expanded my knowledge. The classrooms and labs are fully equipped with state-of-the-art amenities, technology and tools necessary to simulate a real-life environment."

Conestoga's School of Health & Life Sciences offers a range of credentials to assist in the goal of becoming a health care professional. From pre-health programs, through to certificates, diplomas, graduate certificates and degrees, the school delivers the most up-to-date training provided by expert faculty and staff in state-of-the-art facilities.