Insiders : Martin Hartsuiker
"If you want to take the next step as a mechanic, becoming a work planner is a top choice"
At ALWECO, we are always looking for enthusiastic people who are eager to learn. When Martin Hartsuiker walked in six years ago, we knew right away that he was a great fit. "I'm really glad I applied for the work planner position at ALWECO," Martin begins enthusiastically. "My wife pointed out the job opening to me. I had always been a mechanic, but she said I could definitely handle this. After two interviews, it turned out that ALWECO was very happy with me and gave me plenty of room to learn the job. Yes, that was really great."
On his first day, Martin was tasked with exploring ALWECO's server to look at existing AutoCAD files. This way, he could get a feel for what was required. "The guys explained the basics of 2D and 3D drawing to me," says Martin. "With their help, I made a lot of progress. After six months, I took an AutoCAD course and that's how I mastered drawing. It turned out to be much easier than I had initially thought, especially because I could always ask questions to the rest of the team."
"The appreciation for each other is great"
Als Martin over ALWECO praat, gaat hij glunderen. ‘Ja, dit is een mooie club’, zegt hij. ‘Echt een hecht team, eigenlijk gewoon familie. Vanaf het begin was ik welkom, dat was heel fijn. En de lijntjes zijn kort, niemand doet hier uit de hoogte. Je krijgt de vrijheid om zelf dingen uit te vogelen, zeker als je initiatief toont. En de waardering hier voor elkaar is groot, dat is echt prettig. Daardoor kon ik heel snel heel hard groeien in mijn werk. En als ik dan kijk wat we hier als klein team toch maar voor elkaar boksen, ja, dan ben ik echt trots. Kijk alleen al naar hoeveel containers hier volgeladen vertrekken, dat is mooi. Daar doe je het voor.’
"It turned out to be much easier to master than I had thought"
When Martin talks about ALWECO, he beams. "Yes, this is a great company," he says. "A really close-knit team, basically just family. From the beginning, I was welcomed, which was very nice. And the communication lines are short; no one acts superior here. You have the freedom to figure things out on your own, especially if you show initiative. And the appreciation for each other is great, which is really nice. Because of that, I was able to grow very quickly in my job. And when I look at what we, as a small team, manage to achieve, yes, I'm really proud. Just look at how many containers leave here fully loaded, that's amazing. That's what you do it for."
"This was the best step I've taken"
"Look, it helps if you enjoy working on the computer, of course. My hobby is astrophotography, so I was already doing quite a bit of computer work," Martin concludes. "But anyway, I was ultimately just a mechanic who was pulling wires with screens between my teeth, and they were able to teach me the trade too, haha. I'm completely in my element here. Applying for the work planner position as a mechanic was the best step I've taken."