APOblog

The APOcampus program was established over 30 years ago to provide an opportunity for students to gain work experience and develop their skills while they were still in school.

Today, the program offers four-, eight-, 12- and 16-month placements to undergraduate and graduate students. Each student experiences a uniquely designed APOcampus placement based on their area of study, development and career goals. We strive to give students the opportunity to realize their full potential and gain the experience they need to succeed in the future.

We are proud to continue to hire students during the COVID-19 pandemic with roles both on-site and remote.

APOcampus is one of many ways that demonstrates our continued investment in the next generation of leaders in the pharmaceutical industry.

Many of our students even move on to become full-time, permanent Apotex employees – like Justin Galaski.

We spoke with Justin, Associate Director, Operational Excellence about his experience as an APOcampus student and how Apotex has helped him grow and develop in his career. 

You started at Apotex 12 years ago, can you describe what you remember of your experience as an APOcampus student?

My first memory is walking through doors on my first day. I had never set foot in a facility like Apotex. I remember going through the turnstiles at the front entrance and walking into the main hallway where everything is white, shiny, and very clean – I felt like I was walking into an abyss! I was also in awe of the capabilities of the equipment.

The other moments that standout are ones where I presented to leadership in various meetings – it was unlike other co-op placements, it was special. I had a voice, I felt valuable and like I was part of the team.

What influenced you to continue your career journey with Apotex?

Everything from the company culture to career growth opportunities. It was and continues to be a thriving organization. Apotex was my first co-op experience but I had two different co-op positions in different organizations after it. What I learned was that I wanted to work for a company that would keep me engaged, have different and new projects and offer career growth – it was clear that Apotex offered all of these aspects and more.

You mentioned growth, can you take me through your career journey at Apotex?

I started full-time right after graduation in the Production Engineering Department. From there I became a Production Supervisor and after that I worked on the Production Investigations team, and then was a Production Manager. After these experiences, I had a well-rounded understanding of the way the equipment in our facility worked from a manufacturing standpoint as well as a quality standpoint. Now, I work in Operational Excellence where we use different tools to solve any problem that employees come across on varying levels of magnitude and ultimately improve processes and change culture. 

How has your experience with APOcampus influenced you when managing students?

I've always been responsible for the hiring of students in the manufacturing area in production. My experience as a co-op student taught me how I would manage students as I had varying experiences from Apotex and the other co-op positions I held in other companies. What my experience with Apotex showed me was that it was very special to be given tangible work that showed tangible results instead of stereotypical co-op jobs such as filing. I've always told the students that reported to me that this is a real job, we will treat you like a full-time employee because that's how I was treated. I also always ask what they’re learning throughout their experience as I want to make sure that they are walking away with hard- and soft-skills.

What makes you proud to work at Apotex?

The company culture and career growth opportunities – my role challenges me every day and it makes me excited and proud to be an employee. Another thing that makes me proud is that fact that we embrace change and try to solve problems and improve them.

For current opportunities in the APOcampus program, check out our Careers Page and follow our LinkedIn and Twitter for APOcampus updates.