Dino Verhoef Group Leader Production

The first two years of his career at VDL GL Precision, Dino was an Operations Trainee. He is currently Group Lead Production. Dino's ambition is clear: he wants to become the director of one of our VDL locations.
 

Describe your position in 3 words.

‘’Dynamic, results-oriented, social.’’

What is important in your position?

‘‘The fun thing about production is the importance of speed. You have to be hands-on and dare to make decisions. It is important that you are stress-resistant, that you can separate the main issues from the side issues and that you can put things into perspective. In addition, you work with many different people, so good social skills will certainly come in handy. In addition to these soft skills, a technical background is very useful in my role. I regularly speak with professionals. Thanks to my knowledge of technology, I can also profile myself as a sparring partner in terms of content. An example from my role where these skills come together is the daily tier 1 meeting. Here we measure whether our targets have been achieved on the following three pillars: safety, quality and delivery. We discuss the status, what is going well and where we can help each other." What makes Dino good at what he does: ‘Within my team, I am known for thinking outside the box, or as my manager says: that I creatively color outside the lines. In everything I do, I try to ask the question: How can we solve something better than we are used to doing?’’
 

What do you like about your job?

"I love action and a lot of freedom. At VDL GL Precision, no day is the same. Sometimes you're running from pillar to post with sweat literally on your forehead. But it's precisely this action that gives me energy. Every day I'm here working on my passion to push the boundaries of what can be made and to drive innovation in everyday life. It's great to see the impact of our technology in everyday life. I also like the culture at VDL. Everyone knows each other and you get a lot of freedom. There's also a real hands-on and no-nonsense culture. If things need to be arranged, for example a product that needs to be moved from A to B urgently; no one feels too good to tackle something when something needs to be done."
 

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

“During my period as an operations trainee, I was the project leader for the new VDL GL Precision factory. Together with the Real Estate construction project leader from VDL Groep, I was responsible for this project from A to Z. This involves around 5,000m2 of production floor. The space is now used for various lathes and milling machines, above which we have built the new cleanroom, but there is also a new parking area, for example. This was a huge project, today I walk into the hall that I helped to build myself every day. That is really a highlight! In this way I got to know the entire organization in a quick way. ”
 

What advice would you give someone who wants to apply for a job at VDL?

"When I look at myself, I have been given many opportunities to operate outside my comfort zone and have been given the freedom to direct my own daily activities. This has given me the responsibility to take on things I had never done before. This is exactly what gives me energy! If this is the case for you, I would say: pick up the phone and call us! Always be open and honest, show what you have in you and that you are hands-on. Look for something that makes you feel good. You have to know what gives you energy in a job and go after it."