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Making the decision to switch careers is tricky. No one can predict the future, so how can anyone decide if they will be better off sticking to the profession for which they have studied and worked in, or if they should pursue something completely new? Kaja Szkoda found herself tossing up this decision a few years ago. Luckily for her community in Biggin Hill, she chose to pursue a new career in pharmacy.
A firm foundation
Kaja has a Level 3 Diploma in animal husbandry, and had worked as a store supervisor, in a veterinary clinic and in a dog grooming parlour before she decided to apply for a role at Biggin Hill Pharmacy. “Even though my background was animal focused, I’d always been interested in clinical work,” she explains. “Switching careers felt like a leap, but it turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m still grateful for it today.”
Kaja’s interest in working in pharmacy and healthcare has a significant foundation. When she was still at school, Kaja used to take care of her dad. “I also became quite involved in handling my dad’s medication due to his health. I found that by looking after his medication, I was looking after him,” she says. “I took on the responsibility of organising his medication, and I realised that by managing his medicines, I was helping him feel more in control of his health. It made me appreciate how meaningful that kind of support can be.”
Her natural affinity for caring for others may have been handed down through the generations, as Kaja tells Training Matters that pharmacy runs in the family. “My grandmother was a pharmacist in Poland,” she says. “I will always remember going into her pharmacy in rural Poland when we visited every summer. I loved how knowledgeable she was with medicines and always had the best advice. Her career and my childhood also trickled into why I have a big interest in medicine.”
“It’s good to get out of your comfort zone – if you don’t, you might miss opportunities”
Despite having spent so much time handling her dad’s medication, Kaja never imagined herself working in a pharmacy, until one day she saw an advert in her local pharmacy’s window. Although she was nervous at first, Kaja was delighted to be offered the role and says she has “loved it from the very beginning” while her self-assurance has grown daily. “Once I started, something clicked,” she says. “My confidence grew, my passion for helping people deepened, and I began to understand the real impact of pharmacy on the local community. Every prescription, every conversation, every bit of advice, it all matters. That’s what made me fall in love with pharmacy.
“That enthusiasm pushed me to ask for more training, and two years later I was given the incredible opportunity to start my pharmacy technician apprenticeship. I’m genuinely grateful to be learning more every day and expanding my knowledge of the profession.”
“When a patient thanks me or tells me I’ve been helpful, it honestly means the world”
Ready to learn
Having been at Biggin Hill pharmacy for over three years now, Kaja is well on her way to qualifying as a registered pharmacy technician. Aside from her work in the dispensary, she also provides the ear wax removal service as well as vaccines for covid, flu and travel – which she has been doing since 2023.
“I am always ready to learn new skills and take every opportunity I am given to expand my expertise. The same goes for the ear wax removal service. This is again something I was hesitant about doing because I felt that I wouldn’t be able to do it well. It was completely new for me, but you have to just go for it and try these things out,” Kaja says. “It’s good to get out of your comfort zone – if you don’t, you might miss opportunities. Everyone starts somewhere, and with a bit of push and determination, you discover so much about yourself.”
A huge motivator in pushing herself out of her comfort zone is the knowledge that any new training or improvements Kaja makes will directly impact the care she is providing to her patients. When asked what she enjoys most about her job, Kaja immediately says that it’s helping the pharmacy’s customers. “There’s something incredibly rewarding about knowing that the effort I put in – whether it’s helping patients understand their medication or providing a vaccination, or giving advice about cough and cold medicines – genuinely makes a difference to someone’s day,” she says.
“When a patient thanks me or tells me I’ve been helpful, it honestly means the world. I enjoy being that friendly face that welcomes any concern or query and finding the best solution to make a person feel heard and listened to. It’s those everyday moments of connection that remind me why I love what I do.”
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