A Leap into the Unknown

The First Chapter

With a bit of a “first day of school” feeling, I began my professional career at Janssen Pharmaceutica in September ’17. To this day, I still remember my first steps on the Beerse site. Walking onto the site at the start of my first workday made quite an impression. But let’s get back to the work. During my QP internship, I supported various projects within the sterile department, which allowed me to gain valuable experience in the field of aseptic manufacturing.

I have to admit that the sterile production areas were just as impressive as the site itself. I enjoyed working in a state-of-the-art environment, surrounded by highly trained professionals. It allowed me to learn from industry experts, which really felt like a kickstart to my career.

Another great opportunity was the QP intern orientation program, where we had the privilege of meeting (senior) management and getting a sense of the wide range of activities at the site. However, this actually made me even more uncertain about my future career path, because there were far more departments and roles than I could have ever imagined!

After six months, I received my official QP certification from the FAGG. And although I enjoyed working at Janssen, I chose a different path after my traineeship. I think my curiosity to explore new areas had already taken over by then.

A New Leap

Sharp is a CMO specializing in primary and secondary packaging for the pharmaceutical industry. Although it may not be as well-known as Janssen, its site in Belgium (Hamont-Achel) employs approximately 500 people. I worked on the QP team, where we focused on batch release and all standard QMS activities (nonconformance handling, change management, complaint handling, etc.).

While at J&J I was able to specialize in a specific field and learn from all the experts there, at Sharp I gained a broader perspective on QA. I was able to specialize less, but on the other hand, I developed a broader perspective on quality management and the interactions between all processes and departments within a pharmaceutical company.

Another new experience for me was working at a CMO. Working at a CMO involves interacting with many different external stakeholders. This creates a very dynamic atmosphere, which I really enjoyed during my time there.

The World of Medical Gases

For personal reasons—we moved back from beautiful Limburg to Leuven—I decided to leave Sharp. Next on my path was Air Liquide Healthcare. The company operates in the field of medical gases (e.g., oxygen, anesthetic gases…) and also offers services in the field of medical devices (e.g., rental and maintenance of CPAP machines and ventilators, installation of medical gas pipeline networks in hospitals…).

My work focused on monitoring and improving the QMS. Not only was the field of medical gases new to me, but so was that of medical devices. Air Liquide’s QMS covered not only GMP requirements but also the ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016 standards. Gaining an understanding of how all these requirements were integrated into a single lean QMS was very educational and provided me with many new insights.

Back in touch!

Through a chance encounter, I reconnected with my former manager at Sharp. He was freelancing at the time and toying with the idea of starting his own company. Since I had a good relationship with him, and the idea of building something from the ground up appealed to me, I decided to take the plunge.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my past experiences, it’s that I have a very broad range of interests. The pharmaceutical industry is so multifaceted, and every environment is unique. Aside from that, I have to admit that I love to keep learning and that I hate routine. When I put all these pieces of the puzzle together, I think I’ve finally found the right place: a specialized firm focused on QA & QP services. It gives me the chance to further develop myself in different environments, gain experience with various technologies, and do all of this in a very open atmosphere alongside like-minded, motivated professionals.

If I had to give myself advice five years ago, I’d say the following:

1. Find a company that offers you opportunities for personal growth. Make sure there’s a clear vision for training and development.
2. Find a mentor. You need someone with experience who will support, encourage, and challenge you.
3. Choose a work environment where you feel comfortable and where you’re genuinely appreciated. You work to live, not the other way around.
4. Make sure to look around you and learn by observation. Encourage yourself to be assertive and ask your colleagues for advice.
5. Don’t stay in the same role for too long at the start of your career. There are so many opportunities—so take advantage of them!

The first five years of my career have flown by. I’m already looking forward to the next ones!

About the author: Thomas is a Partner at Farma Consulting. He is responsible for supporting our clients in Quality Assurance and Quality Management projects.