TD technician Clifford embarked on his adventure at Walkro and moved from South Africa to the southern Netherlands
Sometimes a new chapter begins with a plan that quickly takes shape. For Clifford, this meant leaving his familiar life in South Africa behind and moving to the Netherlands with his girlfriend to take up a job at Walkro.
He has now been working there for almost two years as a technical engineer and has settled into the role. “It was a big step,” he says, “but one I’m proud of.”
Learning the trade through hands-on experience
Clifford got into the technical side of things at an early age. “Three weeks after I finished school, I was already in the workshop,” he says. What began as cleaning duties soon developed into technical work. He learnt to work with installations, cables, motors and lighting systems, and went on to become an electrician.
He ended up staying with his first employer in South Africa for over nine years. There, he learnt the trade mainly by doing the work. “I was involved in installations and testing systems. Really, the whole picture.”
It was through a colleague that he first learnt about the possibility of working in the Netherlands. That got him thinking. “The language is similar to Afrikaans and the culture seemed interesting to me.” What began as an idea soon developed into a concrete plan.
Building a future in the Netherlands
Not long after, things really took off. With the help of a recruiter, he got in touch with a technical recruitment agency in the Netherlands. An interview followed, and he soon received the good news: there was a place for him at Walkro. “That’s when it really began,” he says.
The journey to the Netherlands was an experience in itself. “It was my first ever flight.” With a missed connection in Johannesburg and an unexpected night in a hotel, things didn’t go to plan, but it didn’t stop him. A day later, he continued his journey via Dubai to Düsseldorf, and eventually to Venlo.
Once he arrived, there was a lot to take in. “Everything was new. Driving on the right, the way of working, the culture… it really takes some getting used to at first.” Yet he soon felt that he could make a home here.
“You get used to it quickly. And it’s becoming more and more familiar.”
Troubleshooting and thinking ahead
As an all-round technician in the technical department, Clifford starts his day with a cup of coffee and a look at the schedule. “What’s happened? What needs doing?” Some days the work is already lined up, whilst on others it only becomes clear what’s needed as the day goes on.
His work centres on identifying and resolving faults in the factory, ranging from electrical issues to mechanical faults. “If a door is broken or a motor isn’t running, I’ll find out what’s wrong. And I’ll fix it.” That also involves ordering parts and coordinating the work with colleagues and the planning department.
Safety plays a major role in this. For virtually every task, the correct procedures are followed and documents signed first. “Even for something small, you have to check and record everything. Especially when you’re working at height, with a lift and a harness.”
It is precisely this structured way of working, combined with troubleshooting, that makes the job interesting for him. “You don’t always work out straight away what the problem is. But when you finally sort it out… that feeling is brilliant. Then you really think: we’ve fixed it.”
A team that supports one another
What makes the difference for Clifford is the way colleagues interact with one another. “Everyone is helpful. If there’s something you don’t know, you can just ask. Never be afraid to ask.”
That open atmosphere was new to him. “In my previous job, there was more of a distance between people. Not here. You get positive feedback and people genuinely want to help you.” He’s also given the space to develop professionally. He’s taking courses and learning more and more about the systems and techniques we use. “There’s still so much to learn. And Walkro is helping me with that.”
Even the language became part of that learning process. “At first I only spoke English, but now I’m learning Dutch. It’s tricky at times, especially with the dialect,” he laughs, “but my colleagues help me. And that makes it easier.”
Proud and ready for the future
What is Clifford most proud of? “The journey I’ve been on. My family are still in South Africa, but they’re proud that I’ve taken this step.”
In the Netherlands, he is building a new life together with his girlfriend and their young son. It’s a big change, with everything happening at once: work, a new country and a young family. “It’s sometimes a struggle to find a balance, especially with a baby. Hobbies are on hold for the moment. But they’ll come back.”
Meanwhile, his curiosity remains his driving force. “I want to keep learning. More in the field of electrical engineering, but also mechanical engineering. I’ve always been interested in how things work.”
He therefore takes a positive view of the future at Walkro. “I still have a lot to learn here. And that’s exactly what I want.”
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