Young people with a passion for technology
Within Sitech, talented young people are being prepared for a future in technology. Martin Schmitz, Kellin Kalmijn and Mathijs van de Berg opted for a Professional Practical Skills Course (BBL) run by the technical training organization Goflex. They are combining a paid job at an accredited training company – such as Sitech – with free secondary vocational training. This is supplemented with extra training and courses, including in the field of safety. As part of this course, they gain experience at three different learning workplaces within the Sitech maintenance organization. And as they say themselves, they are learning a lot from these placements.
Martin: “I found working during a Turn Around interesting and insightful.”
After completing his level 4 car mechanic training, Martin Schmitz joined Goflex. He is now working on his first E/I apprenticeship at the melamine plants at Chemelot. “I've already gained a great deal of experience there. I found working during a Turn Around particularly interesting and insightful. There is a group of six supervisors that I accompany in turn. Everyone has a different way of working, so I learn a lot from that. ”
Kellin Kalmijn is in the second year of his apprenticeship. Having spent a year at the Chemelot ammonia plants, he is now working at the caprolactam plants. “I don't want to be a technician for the rest of my life. Ultimately, I’d like to go on to higher education, but I think it's important to have a good foundation in the field. Because I'm now finding out about a lot of new occupations, I can look into which direction I want to go in.”
Mathijs van de Berg started working at the ammonia plants through Goflex at the end of 2019. Mathijs: “After completing an intermediate preparatory vocational education in Care, I decided to become an engineer. My father introduced me to Goflex, where I learned the basics during a 10-week bootcamp. After a conversation with some Sitech employees, I looked into the E/I field and I’m still enjoying it. I enjoy working with my colleagues, as I always learn a lot from them!”