From intern to a valued permanent team member.
His interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects led Tijs to train as a lab technician, and he ultimately obtained a permanent contract at DuFor through his internship. Since 2017, Tijs Geerlings has been a permanent member of our team as Quality Assurance Officer. And as far as he is concerned, it will stay that way. Read on to discover why he likes working at DuFor so much!
It was during high school that Tijs’ interest in chemistry was sparked. “During an open day at a biological lab, I knew that I wanted to become a lab technician. The idea of working in the lab really attracted me, which is why I started to specialize in it further during my secondary vocational education as a lab technician.”
Instant connection
While looking for an internship, Tijs came into contact with DuFor, “That was actually quite coincidental. I moved to Zevenaar at that time and didn’t know many companies in the area. Through my studies, I came into contact with DuFor. I got an interview and it immediately clicked.”
And that internship went well. Tijs did his internship at DuFor during the third year of his study and a large part of his fourth year. Now, Tijs has been working with us for quite some time. “At the end of my last internship, I let them know that I would like to come and work for DuFor. I sent an open application and after an interview I was hired.”
Developments
Over the years, Tijs has developed himself professionally, but he has also seen the company grow. “I really grew into the position I have now. When I did my internship, the team consisted of three people and I was mainly concerned with quality control. During my second internship, I also supported R&D.”
Currently, Tijs’ duties are more focused on quality. “By now, the team has grown to seven members, and the department is more organized. In my position, I am mainly concerned with monitoring quality, which is a very broad subject. I deal with system processes, quality control of products, customer complaints and maintaining statistical records etc. It is a very diverse set of tasks and that makes it interesting and challenging. We work with a relatively small team so there is also a lot of overlap. We really need to work together!”
The right atmosphere
“For me, the right atmosphere is important, and I also value good communication with colleagues. If the atmosphere isn’t right, I wouldn’t enjoy going to work. But luckily, that is absolutely not the case here. You also get the freedom to do things your way, without someone constantly looking over your shoulder. And if you want to develop yourself, you can always do so. For example, they are very open to training and education. All these elements together create an atmosphere that makes working at DuFor so enjoyable. Besides the materials we work with of course. There is a very interesting aspect behind it and we offer a great solution for the environment. I definitely see myself working at DuFor for the foreseeable future.”