In this series we interview various employees of Qimarox. This time we talk to sales engineer Rutger. Who is he, what does he do, and what does he think of Qimarox?
Who’s Rutger?
‘I’m 24 years old, born in Harderwijk and I still live there. I’ve been involved in technology from an early age, which is why I also work in it, and I love cars. I go to the track regularly. I also like to swim, not to mention travel. My favourite destinations are America and Asia. It’s hard to decide, they’re two different worlds!’
What’s your background?
‘After completing my prevocational secondary education (VMBO), I started in automotive engineering. Once I had started an internship, I noticed that I was in the wrong place. The atmosphere in the car industry disappointed me and I started to get more and more interested in the commercial aspects. However, I wasn’t doing that at school. After completing that training, I did a study choice test to find out what I did want to do. I discovered there was a new training in Zwolle, commercial engineering, based on mechanical engineering. I started doing that and was immediately more motivated. I also ended up in more interesting companies. In the car industry, I had noticed that not everyone was enjoying their work. In automation and mechanical engineering, the atmosphere was quite different: everything was possible, your presence and interest were appreciated.’
What do you do at Qimarox?
‘I’m a sales engineer, which means that I’m the link between the customer and all the relevant departments in the organisation. I spend most of the day working on project management and business development. When something is sold, I make sure that good arrangements are made and keep in contact with the customer. In the meantime, I also manage the organisation: the planning, administration, engineering, control, and so on. I’ve been working in this position at Qimarox for two years now, but before that I also did an internship and some holiday work. So, I’ve been at Qimarox for about five years now.’
How is Qimarox as an employer?
‘They’re great, when I have ideas or ambitions, they’re open to them. In the past, for example, I once indicated that I wanted to go on a job with the field staff. That was no problem and a week later I was able to assist in installing machines at a production company. What I really liked is that responsibility for certain tasks was placed directly with me when I came to work here. That’s what I liked best. I got thrown in at the deep end sometimes. That was really motivating and made me feel responsible for performing my work well. I was able to do it my own way and my colleagues were open to my suggestions or improvements. Things are not fixed but are flexible. Attending studies or courses alongside your work is also encouraged.’
How did you develop yourself at Qimarox?
‘I am now studying Industrial Engineering and Management at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. I go to school one day a week. I’m in my second year now, and I have two more years to go. I started this study immediately after I finished my senior secondary vocational education (MBO). I’m glad I didn’t only work for a couple of years first because I’m used to working and studying at the same time now. Doing both has become second nature to me. I would always recommend continuing your studies immediately. I can handle the pressure well. There are sometimes weeks when we are terribly busy or when I’m abroad, which can be difficult. But in a normal working week I have enough time for my studies.’
