Tymo Wisniewski Lasser

Started as a headstrong and youthful teenager, to now a real professional. Tymo knows what it is like to grow as a BBL'er at VDL Staalservice on both a personal and professional level. He works with great pride on the most diverse projects, even welding armored steel.

How did you start at VDL Staalservice and since when?

I was looking for a BBL level 3 all-round welder training from March 2020, I had several applications running, but many companies withdrew due to the uncertainty of Covid. At that time, VDL Staalservice was there to give me a place to follow my training. That is why I started at VDL Staalservice on September 1, 2020.

What did that process look like?

The training consisted of three years, of which the first two years consisted of making many assignments and workpieces. A week consisted of four days of work and one day of school, in addition to participating, I was given all the space to focus on the assignments. The third year consisted of many exams, diplomas and certificates, with the structure of the weeks remaining the same. When I finally completed my training, I was offered a contract and as a result I still enjoy working at VDL Staalservice.”

What challenges did you overcome during this process?

I learned a lot during this period, I can say that I was very stubborn when I arrived at the age of nineteen, but I think I have become a lot more mature in the meantime. The school assignments always went well for me and I also enjoyed doing them. The projects were often challenging, partly thanks to the guidance from VDL Staalservice. But I didn’t enjoy documenting as much, especially after a hard day’s work.”

How did VDL Staalservice support your personal and professional growth?

I really enjoyed the support, as I said I was given challenging projects, I was given more than enough time to complete the assignments. I was given absolute freedom to fully commit to the assignment, at VDL Staalservice your development really comes first. All the tools and supplies were at my disposal, such as the materials and the equipment. Compared to what I heard from other classmates, VDL Staalservice really went the extra mile to support me as a BBL student.

What do you like most about working and learning at the same time?

I think it's a nice combination, 4 days working week and 1 day school, so you're fully occupied. But you also get the time to do your school assignments.”

What makes your job at VDL Staalservice interesting?

I find my job as a welder very interesting because it's something that not everyone can do. You work on projects that not just anyone is allowed or able to do. Not everyone is allowed or able to do armor welding, working in that niche market, which makes the work distinctive, I find very fun and interesting.

Best project of all time?

In general, I think it's coolest to be able to weld armor steel, that's the Champions League of welding, so to speak. But I also really enjoyed the project for a sister company VDL Translift. The interesting thing about this project is that due to the tension that is created in the product during welding, you have to clamp the product and align it with a flame, which makes it challenging. In addition, you have to work with 'transition wire' because both steel and stainless steel are welded into the product, with transition wire you can weld steel and stainless steel without the stainless steel rusting, which also makes the project interesting.