Stephan - Service technician
I have been working at Noorderzijlvest for four years now. I started as an apprentice tec hnician and have since progressed to technical supervisor and work planner at the Garmerwolde wastewater treatment plant. I source and order the right parts for our own technicians and supervise the contractors we hire. I also take care of the administration and invoicing.
‘No two days are the same in my job’
Strict requirements
We must comply with strict legislation and regulations and EU directives. There are stringent safety requirements and discharge conditions. I am well aware that everything here is funded by public money and that water treatment has a social value. Technically speaking, I want to meet the requirements in the best possible way.
No two days are the same here. One moment, a pump breaks down, causing a filter press to shut down, and you have to repair it. The next, you are asked to contribute ideas for a tender. We also work on innovations, such as removing medicine residues from sewage water. We are looking at how we can make water treatment more cost-effective and sustainable.
‘The water authority provides excellent career opportunities.’
That versatility makes my job really exciting. And you also get a lot of freedom here to do your work your own way. I appreciate that trust and personal responsibility. The atmosphere within our team is good; we work here with about 30 colleagues. We all know each other and we have clear agreements. It makes us a well-oiled machine. People are willing to help each other out.
On to a higher vocational education programme
I see myself doing many wonderful things here in the near future. At the moment, I am thinking about my next course. I would like to complete the technical project manager programme. I have an intermediate vocational diploma, and this is a higher vocational education programme. So I will need to brush up on my math before I can start. On the other hand, I already have a lot of practical experience and find it interesting to advance my career. And I can do that at the water authority.
Will it be water-management work for you too?
We work together to get the water balance just right. But we think a good work-life balance is just as important! When you work for us, you can combine meaningful work with job satisfaction and great terms of employment.
