My start as a consultant at Progress in 2015 was really a leap into the unknown. When looking for my first job, only five years earlier, I already had Progress on my ‘potential employer’ list. But with a clear remark: “too early, maybe later”.  Because to the best of my knowledge at that time, consultants were senior people with a lot of experience and knowledge. In the end I did apply in 2015 because I saw former colleagues (still being more experienced than me, but at least not the ‘have seen it all’ grey hair types) had joined Progress, and they were really enthusiastic about Progress and the work they did.

From day one I did not regret my choice. Although, at the beginning I did see some challenges: how would I be able to advise while still not being that experienced? How would I be able to provide results immediately while by nature I need some time to settle? But luckily very soon I noticed I was not alone. Joining Progress meant that I had many colleagues to learn from and to ask for advice. From discussions on how the (newest) guidelines can be interpreted, to giving advice on suppliers to consider for a certain piece of equipment, there is always a colleague who knows and who is willing to help. So, my initial doubts were proven to be wrong very quickly. Also, I have changed my picture of ‘a consultant’. Of course, I have colleagues who have many years of experience and are really a walking encyclopedia. But in general, we are as diverse as the projects or assignments we do. I think the resemblance between all of us is flexibility, curiosity, and being able to listen and communicate clearly.

Looking back at the past 10 years, the part of being a consultant I enjoy most is the variety. Variety in the type of assignments: from QA production engineer to project manager or operations team lead roles. Variety in the customers we work for: from sites where vaccines are being developed and produced to CMO’s or pharmacies in hospitals. And variety in Progress and client colleagues you work with. So, sometimes it does ask for some flexibility, but being a consultant brings me a lot of new experiences, knowledge and the opportunity to meet new people.