Martin is retired

The time has come! Martin Hamelink (67 y.) is retired 😊 For the past few years, he worked through BuildingCareers as a work planner at our client Tata Steel. We looked back on his career with him and asked him some questions:

1. What was your first job?
‘My very first job was a calculator at a machine shop (David Company) for shipboard rescue equipment. There I did the pre- and post-calculation of the arms (Davids) from which the lifeboats hung on, for example, very large passenger ships.’

2. What is the best decision you have ever made in your career?
‘I come from an agricultural family where we had a lot to do with equipment. I always found that very interesting. So when the machine shop stopped, because production went completely over to Brazil, I decided to go into the equipment side of road construction. That was the best decision for me.

3. What project you have done are you most proud of?
‘Building an asphalt plant at the asphalt plant in Amsterdam (APA). It’s a very complex plant that actually had all types of technology in it. It was an assignment of about a year, so I put in the necessary hours. When I saw the well-functioning installation afterwards, it did make me very happy.

4. What are the most important lessons you have learned during your career?
‘Dealing with people. As a work planner, you will fill a management role where you will be in charge of the entire technical process, from purchasing, work preparation to supervising people. What I’ve enjoyed tremendously over the last few years at Tata Steel is teaching young people the trade. Now I have been a long-time soccer coach for youth (8-12 years old) at Vrone in Sint Pancras. So wanting to teach young people something is kind of in my nature.

5. What tip do you have for young professionals in engineering?
‘Especially working well together and being open to other people’s opinions. Don’t think you know everything yourself. That works both ways, by the way. I am also open to young people’s input, which is often very good. Everyone tackles their work in their own way. In addition, I found that when young people take the time to expand their craft from the basics they got more enjoyment out of their work.

6. What will you do now that you are retired?
‘I sit on the board of athletics club Hylas in Alkmaar and am a trainer/buddy of Running Blind. That’s a group of about 10 people with visual impairments. We are in the process of organizing a national event for this, so I have more time for that now. And I bought a road bike, so I’m going to do a lot of cycling. My goal is to complete the Santiago de Compostella pilgrimage by bicycle next year.

Those are great plans Martin. Thank you for your good work and we wish you a very happy retirement!