At Aalberts advanced mechatronics, we believe that a key way we can differentiate ourselves in the market, please our customers, and be proud of the work we do is by going for excellence. For us that means challenging the status quo and pushing boundaries, within the market and within ourselves. One new colleague who embodies our passion for excellence and personal development is Stella Mavrouda.
Stella is from Greece, where she studied production and mechanical engineering as well as management and administration. She started working as a freelance engineer but wanted to find something closer to what she studied and there weren’t many opportunities in Greece. She also thought that it would be good to have experience in different countries, so she decided to work abroad. Her partner was living in the Netherlands so she had visited a few times, and she was toying with the idea of moving over when a recruiter got in touch about a role at Pneutec.
Stella now works as a Development Engineer. Thus far she has been involved in a project involving repairs, which is giving her a better understanding of Pneutec’s product portfolio, as well as a project for US-based client HMI, through which she got to try her hand at international collaboration and learn about production by helping build prototypes in the clean room.
Although she is the only non-Dutch member of the engineering team (as well as the only woman), Stella has felt very supported as she transitioned into her new role. “They have made many efforts to do things in English to accommodate me and support me as I learn Dutch,” Stella says. “It makes me want to learn Dutch quickly so that I can communicate and blend in.” That support has also extended to technical matters. “It was difficult at first because I had a lot to learn – and still do – but my colleagues are always willing to help and show me how to do things,” she explains. “My manager also asks how I’m doing and if something is way out of my knowledge, he tries to find ways to contribute.”
As Stella sees it, going above and beyond is the norm for her team. “We face many challenges at work, but I never hear my colleagues say that we can’t do something,” she says. “They’re always positive and eager to try for the best and to work together to find solutions. Even when something is going wrong, nobody makes you feel bad. They put colleagues and the atmosphere and team spirit first.”
All of this positivity is helping Stella come into her own. “I am not a very confident person in general, but the support I have received is helping me build up my confidence,” Stella explains. “After just a year and a half, I see that I have grown both professionally and personally, and I can see myself continuing to grow here. I’m looking forward to taking on more responsibility, developing myself further, and making a bigger impact within the organization.”
Interested in finding out about opportunities at Aalberts advanced mechatronics? Email our recruiter, Arie-Jan van Berkum.
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