Daniël Boerkamp

“Working at Design Group is the full package: an innovative company, a fun atmosphere and plenty of growth opportunities”

• Orders from 20 minutes to 20 hours

  ‘No two days are the same, since something unexpected always happens and our orders are all different. Some are finished in 20 minutes, which means we quickly have to change over the entire machine with new printing plates and materials. We may also need to print a million metres of gift packaging. That means a press must be able to run for 20 hours straight without running out of ink or paper. Working in three shifts, we ensure that the presses can run day and night. That all-embracing combination of collaborating with colleagues and always getting the diversity of orders completed on time is what makes my job so challenging. The big grin we often share with one another when everything has nonetheless been done by the end of a shift –  that’s really satisfying.’

  “I work for a big company that has the mentality of a small business”

• As an employee, I feel valued

  We always start our day – or night, if we’re on a night shift – with coffee and a chat. Whether you’re an experienced printer or just starting out, we are genuinely interested in one another. I have seen the inside of many different companies in my working life, and at my previous employer I felt like a fish out of water, whereas here I love the working atmosphere. Last year, for example, I took part in the Tour du ALS and when I reached the top of Mont Ventoux, my colleagues in the Netherlands were encouraging me to climb to the summit one more time.

  Although Design Group is a fairly large company, it does have the mentality of a small business with lots of personal attention. We celebrate birthdays, congratulate one another, and care when a colleague is off sick – that makes you feel like you matter as an employee. You can’t create something like that with systems; that attitude comes from the people here. And when we give feedback or have ideas ourselves, that is also appreciated. When our team thought it would be fun to organise a team outing, a budget was provided immediately. We will soon be going for an evening of bowling and a meal.

• A VCA, middle management training and an MBO course in two years

  What I like so much about working at Design Group is the complete package: an organisation that is constantly innovating, that looks ahead to the future and that also invests a lot in the development of its employees. I have been working in the printing industry for 20 years, so I know about colours, machines and printing technology. Nevertheless, I have developed tremendously since I started working here, obtaining a VCA (Safety, Health and Environment Checklist for Contractors) certificate, middle management training and an MBO (Intermediate Vocational Education) level 3 course. And all that in just two years. Going to school one day a week and studying a lot at home was quite a challenge alongside my family with three school-aged children, but I got a lot of support from Design Group. And I love that I can show my children that you are never too old to learn. There are all kinds of training and development opportunities here for those that want it. Luckily all that studying is certainly not compulsory: colleagues who do not enjoy learning as much and are happy in their jobs don’t have training forced upon them if they’re not interested. But with so many opportunities and prospects for career advancement, I will continue to enjoy working here for a long time to come.