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Kerem Sahin (24) has worked for almost three years at Strukton Rail as an overhead line and support construction technician. It’s his first job after obtaining his intermediate vocational education certificate in engineering and electrical engineering.
‘During my study, I didn’t really know what kind of job I wanted. But I did know that I wanted to find a job quickly so that I could earn some money and get married. My nephew works on overhead lines as a self-employed person and he advised me to apply for a job at Strukton. He said: “Strukton is a good training company where safety comes first. They will give you an opportunity to become a good technician and there are enough career opportunities.” That sounded fine to me. That same evening I read up on overhead line work and applied for a job.’
Strukton invests continuously. We have recently commissioned six new hydraulic platforms and we have a new, lighter fall arrest belt.
‘There are no training courses to become an overhead line technician. I learnt everything ‘on the job’. Strukton puts a lot of time and energy into on-the-job training. I started with 7 days of basic training followed by an 8-day overhead line technician training. I now have a ‘Skilled Person Overhead Line’ certificate.
I‘m still learning every day at work, for example from older colleagues who have a lot of experience. One of the things I like about Strukton is the combination of workmanship and technology. Strukton invests continuously. We have recently commissioned six new hydraulic platforms and we have a new, lighter fall arrest belt. We wear the belt the whole day long, so the lighter the better. Strukton has also purchased exoskeletons. An exoskeleton is a type of harness that supports us when lifting heavy materials. It is obvious that Strukton takes its responsibility for our safety and vitality very seriously.’
‘I also like the work itself very much. I have worked on the tram depot in Nieuwegein, where we built an entirely new infrastructure. We are currently carrying out contact wire upgrades at various locations in the Netherlands. We are given a lot of freedom and responsibility. Every day is different: you never know what to expect. We often have to carry out our work within a limited time frame. You get a kick from knowing that the track can be put back into service on time after we have completed the work.
I’m glad I listened to my nephew; I haven’t regretted it once. On the day I started working at Strukton, I was engaged to be married.’