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Read the story of
Joey - Superintendent
Read the story of
Joey - Superintendent
At the age of ten, during a visit to the Eastern Scheldt
Storm Surge Barrier, Joey’s interest in hydraulic engineering was sparked.
Years later, after studying Civil Engineering and completing an internship at
De Groene Boog (A16), he applied for a traineeship at Van Oord. During the
selection process, he spoke with a recruiter.
“I explained that I already knew I wanted to work in
execution, but I thought I still lacked the right experience,” Joey says. The
recruiter’s response was surprisingly simple: if you know what you want, you
should just apply directly. “That’s exactly what I did, and as a result, I
started working almost three years ago directly as a Superintendent.”
At the age of ten, during a visit to the Eastern Scheldt
Storm Surge Barrier, Joey’s interest in hydraulic engineering was sparked.
Years later, after studying Civil Engineering and completing an internship at
De Groene Boog (A16), he applied for a traineeship at Van Oord. During the
selection process, he spoke with a recruiter.
“I explained that I already knew I wanted to work in
execution, but I thought I still lacked the right experience,” Joey says. The
recruiter’s response was surprisingly simple: if you know what you want, you
should just apply directly. “That’s exactly what I did, and as a result, I
started working almost three years ago directly as a Superintendent.”
As a Superintendent, Joey is literally the “eyes and ears”
of the office on the project site. He oversees the daily operations, the
logistics of personnel and equipment, and keeps projects on track according to
strict schedules. But the most important aspect of his role is safety. He is
the first point of contact on site and serves as a role model for the team.
What appeals to Joey most about his role is the variety and
the visible impact.
“On one hand, you’re working on the computer with schedules
and documents, but on the other, you’re outside standing in the mud with your
boots on. Every cubic meter of sand you place on a beach creates a visible
change. I really see myself as the connecting link between the people who plan
or design projects and the people who actually build them on site.”
Global Impact: From Luxurious White Sand to Economic Growth
Working as a superintendent takes Joey all over the world,
and no two projects are the same. In Dubai, he worked on a unique project
involving the construction of an island with extremely strict requirements for
pure white sand.
“It almost turned into a research project to work together
with local contractors to produce exactly the right grain size and color,” he
laughs.
Still, he gains the greatest satisfaction from projects with
significant social value, such as in Namibia.
“We deepened and widened a harbor channel there so that
larger ships could dock. The local community reacted incredibly
enthusiastically because the entire region benefits economically from it. That
appreciation gives you extra satisfaction.”
As a Superintendent, Joey is literally the “eyes and ears”
of the office on the project site. He oversees the daily operations, the
logistics of personnel and equipment, and keeps projects on track according to
strict schedules. But the most important aspect of his role is safety. He is
the first point of contact on site and serves as a role model for the team.
What appeals to Joey most about his role is the variety and
the visible impact.
“On one hand, you’re working on the computer with schedules
and documents, but on the other, you’re outside standing in the mud with your
boots on. Every cubic meter of sand you place on a beach creates a visible
change. I really see myself as the connecting link between the people who plan
or design projects and the people who actually build them on site.”
Global Impact: From Luxurious White Sand to Economic Growth
Working as a superintendent takes Joey all over the world,
and no two projects are the same. In Dubai, he worked on a unique project
involving the construction of an island with extremely strict requirements for
pure white sand.
“It almost turned into a research project to work together
with local contractors to produce exactly the right grain size and color,” he
laughs.
Still, he gains the greatest satisfaction from projects with
significant social value, such as in Namibia.
“We deepened and widened a harbor channel there so that
larger ships could dock. The local community reacted incredibly
enthusiastically because the entire region benefits economically from it. That
appreciation gives you extra satisfaction.”
A Culture of Team Spirit and Support
On international projects, Joey works twelve-hour shifts
each day, often alongside diverse local teams, ranging from Spanish workers in
Gibraltar to Romanian colleagues. Despite the hard work, the culture within Van
Oord is close-knit.
“We’re all here together to get the job done. People are
always willing to help each other or share equipment.”
Moreover, he feels strongly supported by the organization,
especially in tense situations. When geopolitical tensions in the Middle East
escalated during his rotation in Dubai, there was significant attention given
to the crew.
“People’s safety immediately became the top priority.
Through daily meetings, they genuinely listened to us. That creates a very safe
and valued feeling.”
The Ultimate Rhythm: Fully ‘On’ and Truly Free
Life on projects revolves around a strict rotation schedule
of 38 days on site followed by 32 days of leave. For Joey, this is the ideal
rhythm.
“You’re completely switched ‘on’ for more than five weeks.
But once your rotation ends, you hand in your phone, switch on your
out-of-office reply, and you’re genuinely done. During those four and a half
weeks at home, you have the freedom to spend plenty of time with friends, sleep
in, and focus on hobbies. In spring, I even help my uncle out occasionally at
his flower bulb farm.”
A Culture of Team Spirit and Support
On international projects, Joey works twelve-hour shifts
each day, often alongside diverse local teams, ranging from Spanish workers in
Gibraltar to Romanian colleagues. Despite the hard work, the culture within Van
Oord is close-knit.
“We’re all here together to get the job done. People are
always willing to help each other or share equipment.”
Moreover, he feels strongly supported by the organization,
especially in tense situations. When geopolitical tensions in the Middle East
escalated during his rotation in Dubai, there was significant attention given
to the crew.
“People’s safety immediately became the top priority.
Through daily meetings, they genuinely listened to us. That creates a very safe
and valued feeling.”
The Ultimate Rhythm: Fully ‘On’ and Truly Free
Life on projects revolves around a strict rotation schedule
of 38 days on site followed by 32 days of leave. For Joey, this is the ideal
rhythm.
“You’re completely switched ‘on’ for more than five weeks.
But once your rotation ends, you hand in your phone, switch on your
out-of-office reply, and you’re genuinely done. During those four and a half
weeks at home, you have the freedom to spend plenty of time with friends, sleep
in, and focus on hobbies. In spring, I even help my uncle out occasionally at
his flower bulb farm.”
Persoonlijke en professionele groei
We zorgen voor elkaar
Goede arbeidsvoorwaarden
Persoonlijke en professionele groei
We zorgen voor elkaar
Goede arbeidsvoorwaarden
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'Ik heb hier mooie kansen gekregen. Om te groeien, maar ik heb ook de hele wereld gezien. Thuis kan ik op Google Maps laten zien wat ik gemaakt heb!'
André
Hoofd Stuurman
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