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‘I have been working on the railway since 1984 and as Production Manager, you become involved in all facets of railway work. The versatility and complexity of projects are what make my work so enjoyable.’
‘When you have worked on the railway as long as I have, you have seen it all. Well, almost. The railway world has changed tremendously over the past few years. When I first began, you could put the railway out of service using a simple A4 form. And what used to take us six weeks working every night in the past, we now are given 52 hours to do. This is offset by the fact that safety has improved significantly. Strukton devotes a great deal of attention to safety and working safely.’
‘What else can you expect from Strukton? It may sound a bit corny, but Strukton is a very social company. We work here with the full awareness that we are asking people to work at impossible times. At the same time, Strukton offers everyone every opportunity for growth. And if you are perfectly comfortable and happy where you are, that is perfectly acceptable too. For the past five years or so, I have been Production Manager at Strukton Projects and I am doing what I am good at and I am happy with this. There are all kinds of new developments you need to keep abreast of and every customer is different to work for. Customers include ProRail, and municipal or regional carriers, such as HTM in The Hague.’
Irregular working hours are not so much fun, but the rewards are great
‘As Production Manager – or, as I like to call myself, Main Construction Supervisor – I am responsible for ensuring that the orders we receive are properly scheduled in terms of people, materials and equipment. I do this together with my Construction Supervisors. Naturally, the projects must also stay within budget. That is also my responsibility, just as I am responsible for ensuring that all different disciplines, such as signalling and overhead lines, can effectively work together in doing their work. Railway work is and will always be the work of people and anything can happen during weekends. This means that at times you will have to make adjustments.’
‘When you come to work here, you can look forward to a tremendous, versatile job, in which you will be involved in a wide range of different engineering technologies. The tracks to Schiphol, the Flevo Line, the Hanze Line, the renovation of Utrecht CS and Amsterdam CS… I have been involved in many great projects. And yes, these projects require irregular working hours. While this may be a less enjoyable aspect, you are rewarded in return. Strukton has a very open culture and people consequently feel at home here. That certainly applies to me; I have always felt at home here. And now I am at an age where I can transfer my knowledge and experience to the new generation interested in learning this profession that I have been exercising for many years. With a great deal of pleasure!’