Robert Groot
In 2012, Robert Groot started working at De Keizer Marine Engineering, now part of Eekels. Since then, he has held various positions, making him intimately familiar with the company. Robert shares how his career path at Marpower unfolded and why he still enjoys working there.
As the Technical Manager of the Automation department, Robert is primarily involved in validating information and delivering it in a usable way for the software engineers. “Essentially, I assess whether the input we receive is good enough to work with.” To do this, he communicates with various departments, shipyards, and individuals.
The fact that I have been able to do so many different things is, I think, the reason I still work here.
The first introduction
Robert first came into contact with De Keizer as an intern, when it was still a small company. He immediately felt welcome. Years later, after further education and he had taken his first steps into the job market, he missed the technical aspect in his work. Robert remembered De Keizer’s positive atmosphere during his internship and decided to get back in touch. “Initially, I thought working in the maritime industry doesn’t seem like something for me, but I’ll give it a try anyway.” In hindsight, the connection with the maritime industry wasn’t entirely out of the blue: Robert used to be in sea scouting and nowadays he is regularly found on the beach as a member of the lifeguard team.
Taking side paths to find the perfect role
During his twelve years at De Keizer and later Marpower, Robert had ample opportunity to discover where his interests and talents were best expressed. He started in Automation, but after a few years, he was ready for a new challenge. “That’s when I ended up in Hardware Engineering through a sidestep at one of the shipyards we work for.” Here he became Lead Engineer. In this position, Robert eventually specialized in alarm and safety systems.
When a team leader position opened up in his old department, Automation, he was asked to take it. It turned out not to be a perfect fit for him, so he transitioned to Technical Manager. This role gives him a lot of satisfaction: “What I really enjoy about my job is finding errors that we solve before we actually get started.” He and his team continuously looks for ways to make the work more efficient.
During his search for the right position within the organization, management continuously considered his next step. Robert appreciates this variety and flexibility provided at Marpower. “The fact that I’ve been able to do so many different things is the reason I’m still here.”
A place for everyone
Robert believes that collaborative thinking is a key characteristic of working at Marpower. He describes the work culture in one word as “open.” “We are open to good ideas and innovations, and there is room to think about them.” There is a place for everyone in this. “One person is good with people, which is necessary when visiting a client. Another prefers to sit behind a computer all day, which suits other functions well. I find it more important that someone is enthusiastic and willing to learn.”
Go with the flow
Does he have any tips for new employees? “Go with the flow. Our work doesn’t always go as planned, and sometimes you have to make several adjustments.” With some adaptability and a dose of curiosity, you can learn many different aspects of the company and processes at Marpower, as Robert’s story shows.
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