After 30 years of working at various companies and jobs in the pharmaceutical industry, I have learned what I would like to do. I enjoy working with people to ensure that a project is completed according to predeterminate goals or improving the daily activities within a process or department. Both require working with people, systems and regulations. What I also like is to keep learning, working on different projects and different departments.  

I think the best way is to do that as a consultant. Clients need support and are always happy that you help them. I am hired to help various clients with projects or to support their daily activities. With my knowledge and experience, I can to go for the best solution. Progress is an excellent company. They inspire people to work together and provide experts in the pharmaceutical industry. Furthermore, Progress has the finest assignments in this industry. 

What I thought I would enjoy about working as a consultant has proven to be true over the past five years at Progress. Working on a various projects, systems and team collaboration for the best results became a reality. Read with me:  

It all started with my first assignment. During the construction of a new cleanroom in the Netherlands, the world was disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak. From just achieving the predefined project goals, those goals jumped into 6th gear because the client needed the cleanroom to start production of the COVID-19 vaccine. Together with the constructor and the company people, we worked hard to complete the construction, transfer the technical information to the client and start qualifying as quickly as possible. My role started as a ‘sidekick’ for the production manager to support him in transferring the work to the new cleanroom. However, my role changed to helping the qualification and support team. For example, by implementing daily tiers between the parties and keeping everyone informed and aligned. The Progress support team expanded to 15 people. After facing several setbacks (which always happens), the client started the production of the COVID-19 vaccine and was satisfied with the work done. We also passed as a team with a positive IGJ inspection. The client was very satisfied with Progress, starting with just one “Progresser” and ending with 15 Progress people, working together to achieve the newly set goals.   

My second assignment was to set up the basic design for a newly built nuclear GMP lab. A completely different assignment that I would not be able to do if I did not work at Progress. Learned a lot about nuclear production and how to perform it safely in Hot-Cells and in a Class B cleanroom with pressure below zero Pa. The client had nuclear specialists with all the knowledge in-house. We worked with them on a daily basis and also implemented the newly drawn up Annex 1 in the design. After we completed the Basic Design, the client’s personnel took over and started the tender. I learned a lot in an area I did not know before; nuclear environment and what it means in the construction of a cleanroom.  

My third assignment was at an ATMP company. In the year and a half that I worked there, I had three assignments. The first was the position of technical writer for project A. The second consisted of leading 8 technical writers for a technology transfer for project B. During this period, we reviewed, updated or created more than 700 documents to implement the new processes in the current production schedule. In addition, the third assignment included the role of a Project leader/Business owner to ensure that a production cleanroom was “operationally ready” for production. My responsibility was to review and approve all qualification documents, review and update all related production procedures (where applicable), order materials and train personnel to ensure that the cleanroom went into production once qualification was completed.  

During these years I also got to know the people at Progress very well, working with them on those projects, attending the monthly Progress team meetings, going to the Progress Summer Event and the Christmas weekends at the end of each year to reflect on the past year and to celebrate Christmas. Now I am the confidential advisor (“vertrouwenspersoon”) for Progress and, together with my colleagues, I have implemented new procedures to improve an even safer working environment. So also in terms of “soft skills”, Progress is a good company to work for.  

Senior Consultant and Confidential Advisor (“Vertrouwenspersoon”) Dennis Wortel.