Meet Famke Vancoillie: Junior Project Consultant

“Joining the project that I’m currently working on was an exciting opportunity. Although I had little working experience and hardly any familiarity with the world of IT infra and the corresponding terminology, I decided to go for it. Learning a lot of new, different and often complex IT terms demands me to regularly step out of my comfort zone. But there’s nothing wrong with that. Things shouldn’t always be easy if you want to achieve serious professional growth.”

The profile of the pharmaceutical company was another reason for Famke to join the project. “I have a strong preference for internationally oriented companies and organisations that serve the greater good and have a lot of social responsibility, which in this case means improving global healthcare.” 

DETAIL-ORIENTED

Famke’s work at the pharmaceutical company consists of data reporting, data control, and data automation at the supply chain level. “My team and I have to make sure that all the product data are correct, complete and always fully up to date. The consequences of incorrect data, can lead to wrong decisions that can impact the organisation and projects anyway. We have to check the data quality and present our findings before a given deadline, mostly towards the end of the month. This type of work fits me like a glove because I am a very detail-oriented and quite perfectionistic person. Making mistakes can really bother me. The project also demands you to perform at a high level because you have to get the work done at relatively short notice. That suits me too, since I tend to perform well under pressure.”

COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK

Famke also enjoys the close collaboration with colleagues and other team members. “I’m definitely a team player. Mastering challenging tasks and difficult issues together, and receiving valuable feedback that contributes to professional growth: those aspects of my work make me really happy.”

EMBRACING DIVERSITY

The project work has allowed Famke to develop new skills and sharpen some of her existing ones. “First of all, I have learned a lot about the world of IT. Technologies, terminologies and more: my IT knowledge has gotten a serious boost. But I’ve also managed to improve my communication skills and learned how to work together with people from different cultural backgrounds. Some team members are very direct, others have a more indirect approach. Communication is key if you want to integrate different personalities and nationalities into one smoothly operating project team. Working in an international team has also been hugely beneficial to my command of the English language.”

SUPPORT FROM PROSOURCE

Famke is not only pleased with her project role, but also satisfied with the support that Prosource provides: “It’s a very professional, but also warm organisation. I immediately felt at ease when I stepped through the door. I especially like the fact that Prosource put their trust in me right from the start. You also get the opportunity to chart your personal career path in a tempo that suits you. Prosource’s knowledgeable senior project managers are always available to share insights, help you with problems or answer questions. The company offers an excellent mix of theoretical training and practical, hands-on experience.”

Famke also has a clear outlook on her future aspirations: “I would love to gain more project experience and eventually lead a project abroad. Applying the knowledge that I have gained in the private sector in a public context is also on my wishlist. In my opinion, many of these insights can also add value to the services and processes of governmental organisations. Becoming a project manager in a public trajectory that serves the greater societal good would be an exciting next step.”  

There’s much more to explore! Discover the inspiring stories of the people of Prosource.

Read about the experience of Gert Leroy, Business Change Management Consultant at Colruyt Group via Prosource and how he introduced Agile in a non-agile context, or the experience of Eline Horemans, Project Management Lead at Horta. 

Or check out Ruben Coomans, Junior Consultant at BEA Sensors & learn more about what drives Ruben and his passion for Project Management.