Sarah Benjamin

This is not what I expected to be doing when I graduated from high school. In fact, I didn't know this job existed until I was volunteering with the provincial government and someone mentioned regulatory affairs to me.

When I graduated with my Bachelors of Science, I worked at different jobs in the retail sector. In these jobs, I worked with customers and developed my customer service skills. I worked with teams of people where I strengthened my time management and interpersonal skills. When I learned about regulatory affairs, I went back to school and earned a certificate in regulatory affairs. The regulatory affairs graduate certificate program teaches the knowledge, skills and techniques which you need to work in regulatory affairs in the pharmaceutical, medical device or biotechnology industries. In this program, I developed my knowledge of the regulatory system, legislation, procedures and practices, which relate to the development, manufacture, quality assurance and marketing of health-related products.

Then I started work with companies where I used my regulatory affairs skills. My first roles were at the entry level but as I further developed, I took roles that were more senior. As these roles became more involved and complex, I continued to grow my understanding and skills in managing large and complex projects. Eventually I completed a Certificate in Project Management, which I draw upon every day in my current position.