IECP Moments: Two journeys, one way of learning

The International Early Career Programme (IECP) at Octapharma is designed to allow early-career professionals to gain hands-on experience through international placements, structured rotations and real project work across the organisation. Participants move between sites, teams and disciplines, fully supported by mentoring, training and a strong internal network.

The programme is often described in terms of rotations, sites and projects. But for the people on it, the experience is less about changing roles in different settings – and more about learning how to see the organisation, and themselves, differently.

For Pouneh Thomas and Mario Di Odoardo, the program has allowed them to step into unfamiliar environments and gain perspectives that daily work rarely offers.

Pouneh: Learning beyond her comfort zone

When Pouneh Thomas arrived in Vienna for her rotation in March and April 2025, she knew she was stepping into something new. What she didn’t yet realise was how deeply the experience would reshape her view of collaboration and professional growth.

She joined the Batch Assessment and Release Service, supporting the creation and management of documentation required for the pharmaceutical release of batches by Qualified Persons.

From the outside, the work appears structured and regulated. From the inside, it revealed a complex network of interdependencies.

“Very quickly, I understood how many departments are involved in one final decision,” Pouneh explains. “I saw that production, supply chain and quality control – functions that can sometimes feel quite independent – are all so closely connected. The rotation really helped me understand how essential collaboration is.”

Her days followed a steady rhythm: supporting the service, managing files and learning regulatory requirements. Alongside this came something equally important – her daily interactions across the site. Lunches with colleagues and other IECP participants. Meetings and visits to departments ranging from packaging and production to pilot plants and support teams.

“Working within one service while being exposed to others was very rewarding,” she says. “It gave me a much broader understanding of Octapharma’s activities.”

Yet the most meaningful lessons weren’t learned from understanding processes. They came from the constant integration. Joining a new team in another field and country required continuous adaptation. New expectations. New ways of communicating. New working habits.

“It strengthened my adaptability and communication skills,” Pouneh reflects. “These are skills that can be difficult to truly develop in daily work. The rotation gives you the time and space to work on them.”

That space is something she valued deeply. The IECP allowed room not only to perform, but to reflect – to observe how she reacted, learned and evolved in unfamiliar situations.

One lesson has stayed with her from the very beginning of the programme. During the IECP kick-off in Lachen, Switzerland, participants took part in a workshop designed as a game. Faced with detailed rules and time pressure, the group focused on execution – and lost sight of the objective. “We followed all the rules,” she recalls, “but completely forgot the main goal.” The experience left a lasting impression. Since then, Pouneh consciously defines objectives early and revisits them throughout a project, particularly when complexity increases.

She describes the IECP in one word: stimulating. Shaped by its international context, the programme constantly challenges perspectives. Highlights for her included the IECP summits in Vienna and Stockholm, with development sessions on motivation, resilience, and communication, as well as an alumni event that expanded her internal network across Europe.

Changing country for several months wasn’t easy. Building new relationships and adapting to a new environment required effort. But that challenge, she says, is precisely what made the experience valuable.

Support played a key role throughout the programme. Pouneh describes a culture in which coworkers, managers and mentors were approachable and encouraging. “I knew I could openly ask for support or feedback,” she says. “And that made a real difference.”

Mario: Connecting technology and science

Mario Di Odoardo’s IECP journey unfolded in a very different setting, but with similar impact. He worked in the Recombinant R&D department, within the Automation and Data Management team in Heidelberg, where his mission was to develop a chatbot that simplified how users search for experiments in the internal documentation platform.

His days followed a standard routine: a team touchpoint, programming work focused on the chatbot, testing and iteration. “My work helped bridge technology and science,” he explains. “It allowed me to connect more closely with how Octapharma operates.”

Coming from an IT background, Mario saw the rotation offered by the IECP as an opportunity to better understand the scientific side of the business and how digital solutions support core activities. What added depth to the experience for him was stepping beyond the technical environment.

“I had the chance to visit the lab and better understand how things work in practice,” he says. “That helped me see how everything connects.”

For Mario, the most rewarding part of the rotation was the human dimension – working closely with another team, meeting new colleagues and receiving direct feedback on his contribution. There was no single defining moment. Instead, he took things on board gradually.

“I wouldn’t say there was one big ‘aha’ moment,” he reflects. “But there were several situations where taking a step back and rethinking my approach has made a real difference.”

The IECP reinforced a simple but powerful insight for him: lessons are often learned when things don’t go exactly as planned.

He describes the programme as exciting, not only because of the work itself, but because of how it is structured. Extended on-site collaboration enables deeper connections than typical cross-site work, while professional training and self-reflection sessions support development beyond daily tasks.

Among his programme highlights were the IECP summit in Vienna, which offered a chance to connect with other participants and exchange experiences, and the opportunity he was offered to join another team during his rotation, broadening his professional perspective.

There were challenges too. Being away from home for an extended period and adapting to a new environment required adjustment. But both experiences encouraged reflection and personal growth.

Like Pouneh, Mario also highlights the importance of support. He describes having been part of a small team with a strong sense of collaboration, with a mentor who helped him navigate challenges and see situations from new perspectives.

One programme, shared message

Pouneh and Mario followed different paths – one through batch release, the other through digital innovation. Yet their stories converge around the same themes: adaptability, reflection, collaboration and growth.

Their shared advice to future IECP candidates is clear: enjoy the journey, stay curious and make the most of every opportunity. The IECP, they agree, is not just an early-career programme. It is a chance to step beyond your role, connect the dots and grow in ways that extend far beyond a single rotation.

Interested in the IECP? Or know someone who might be?

Are you, or someone you know, at the start of a career and might benefit from this kind of international experience?

Octapharma has identified 10 new permanent positions across Europe and Switzerland for the upcoming IECP cohort 2026 – 2028. These roles will be published gradually on our website.