Oriola’s apprenticeship programme’s students graduated
29.1.2016
20 students participated in a Pharmaceutical Assistant apprenticeship programme organized Oriola. Three of the students graduated in summer 2015, and the other 17 in January 2016. Marita Tissari, a Goods Inspector in Arrivals, and Anna Soini, a Warehouse Worker in Returns, were satisfied after graduating from the two year programme.
- It felt like time flew. We learnt a lot about pharmaceutical legislation, which provides a theoretical background to support my work, Tissari explains.
- The work cycle offered us many interesting experiences. During the programme, I worked, for example, in the Returns, Warehousing, Goods Inspecting and Bulk Items departments. I received a comprehensive experience of the different functions in Oriola, Soini says.
- A benefit of adult education is that you can build new know-how on top of previous experience and knowledge. The students are now pharmaceutical industry multi-talents. They found new strengths within themselves, and they are now ready to meet all the challenges that the changing pharmaceutical industry will throw at them, says Marja Turunen from Stadin aikuisopisto.
A significant contribution to the development of personnel skills
The apprenticeship training programme has been a significant contribution to the development of the skills and know-how of Oriola’s personnel.
- It’s wonderful that Oriola offered this opportunity. I don’t think that I would have participated in this kind of training without this opportunity. Participation in this programme was easy as I could study while working, and I could use the things I learnt immediately in my work, says Tissari.
The apprenticeship training programme has also challenged other Oriola people.
- Oriola offered good premises for the programme as well as the knowledge of its experts. During the programme, students participated in Oriola expertise lectures covering quality, deliveries, marketing, sales and purchasing functions. There were also various lectures on pharmaceutical wholesale operations, and lectures on GDP, GMP, and guidelines on how to create directives were particularly important in my opinion. This way the students have a good understanding of the different operations in Oriola and they understand their own role in the big picture better, says Turunen.
Passing on the knowledge
Studies were guided by five job counselors, who also handled the planning of the studies and work cycle.
- To plan a versatile work cycle for 20 people is not a simple task. You have to ensure that all operations continue as usual, even with one person missing from the team. Planning resources and training periods to meet the needs of other logistics operations was like a huge puzzle, says Warehouse Foreman Sampo Murtoniemi.
Students also shared their knowledge with other Oriola personnel. A highlight of the programme was a mini fair that the students organized to present Oriola’s logistics functions using marketing methods to Oriola’s personnel, teachers from the pharmaceutical industry, other students and pharmaceutical qualification committee members. The implementation and content of the mini fair received praises from participants.
