Electrotechnician Fernand experienced both the glory days and the absolute low point at Ford Genk. After the closure of the car factory, he didn’t sit back and instead decided to further his education, not long after choosing to build his future with Yontec.
Fernand: “At the end of 2014, the last car rolled off the production line at Ford Genk. In the months that followed, I was one of the few who remained to dismantle the factory, taking apart the robots, removing the emergency lighting… There wasn’t much left in the end. After nearly 25 years of service among thousands of colleagues, I suddenly found myself looking out over an empty work floor.”
“On top of that, my doctor advised me to undergo shoulder surgery, as I had been dealing with a pinched nerve for some time. It seemed like the ideal moment to have the procedure done. However, the recovery took longer than expected, almost a year. I didn’t want to rely on sickness benefits, so I decided to refresh my knowledge and took a daytime course in industrial electricity. Suddenly, many things I had learned at school came back to me. And although my time at Ford Genk was unforgettable, everything eventually became routine. So I’m glad I went back to studying.”
Fernand: “Once I had my certificate in hand and had fully recovered from my shoulder surgery, things moved quickly. Thanks to my experience at Ford Genk, I suddenly had several job offers. But at that time, I often thought about a few former colleagues who had immediately made the switch to Yontec. They had nothing but positive things to say. They also knew what it was like to work in a large company like Ford. All in all, you were just a number there, and the boss remained the boss. So I decided to apply to Yontec myself. Not long after, I was invited for an interview and a number of tests. Although I performed well on most of the tests, I preferred to stay as far away as possible from control engineering, it’s something that really doesn’t suit me. Instead of reacting with surprise, they said they were actually pleased that I could clearly assess my own strengths. It immediately became clear that they take their employees’ preferences into account.”
Fernand: “Absolutely! What my predecessors said quickly proved to be true. You simply walk into the office, grab something from the fridge, have a chat, play a game of pool or table football… The atmosphere is very family-like and relaxed as if you were at home.”
Fernand: “I’ve already had the opportunity to work for several interesting companies. So far, I most enjoyed working at a gearbox manufacturer. Everything was handled exactly as it should be. In the morning, I received my assignment and the corresponding plans, the operator assisted you in shutting down the machines, and the supervisor supported you whenever needed. The company cafeteria with a hot kitchen was, of course, also a big plus.” (laughs)
Fernand: “What I enjoy most is looking for the root cause of electrical faults. Why does the machine do this, why doesn’t it do something? Another thing that gives me a lot of energy is colleagues who are willing to get their hands dirty and think ahead with you. When we work well together, everything progresses much faster. It’s in the smallest things for example, when you need to open something and your colleague is already there with the right tools.”
Fernand: “I’m still amazed by how things are handled here. If, for some reason, something doesn’t work out at a particular client, they genuinely make every effort to find a better solution for you. In return, you’re also happy to go the extra mile for your clients even if it means spending three days searching for a solution or taking an entire machine apart. You just do it.”
Fernand: “I try to go to the gym at least three times a week. I go straight after work. The difference on the work floor has been huge since I started. Besides that, I sometimes go cycling with friends or go for a ride on the motorbike with my girlfriend a 200 hp Kawasaki. A real speed machine, but so comfortable that you hardly notice it.”
