Tell me something about your background

I was born in Namibia but moved to South Africa when I was young. I went to an all-girls school, it was a very happy time in my life. I went to university in Stellenbosch, which is really close to my hometown. After I completed my masters, Frank reached out to me. I have been in the Netherlands for more than two years already.

Did you always plan to move abroad?

Moving abroad was something I wanted to do, so it was amazing when the opportunity arose. I had three interviews with Frank, who was very patient. Choosing to be far away from family wasn’t an easy decision but I knew it would be a great experience. I was already looking for jobs when Frank reached out to me. The experience I had with Frank and the team was so nice and I felt we understood each other well. After the interviews, everything happened very quickly and I came here!

Did you have any expectations before moving here?

I had been to Europe before when I was younger and had visited Germany. But I didn’t have many expectations before moving here. I think this is the kind of situation where it’s good not to expect too much to avoid disappointment. So no, I didn’t have crazy expectations.

What was your experience like when you got to the Netherlands?

When I first got here, I didn’t have my apartment yet, so I stayed in a hotel. I also had issues getting my money from South Africa to the Netherlands because it got stuck in foreign exchange. I luckily had a cousin in Switzerland who could help me, and WEB did a lot for me too. In the beginning, there were some hiccups but thinking back, at that moment it was stressful, but in the end, it was all okay.

For me, this whole experience definitely led to growth. It’s a different environment, different people and, learning to stand on your own two feet. Overall, the experience was easy, pleasant, and good.

What did you think about WEB when you came here?

It’s so crazy to think that when I came to WEB, we only had the second floor of the building. It’s amazing to see how far WEB has come in terms of office space and size. I realized I was pretty lucky all things considered. Lucky in the sense that WEB was so helpful with many things such as looking for housing, and if you had any questions, you could ask them anything which was great.

Many people here at WEB are expats and everyone is open to different cultures. They’re very curious and respectful, it’s just nice to see how people are genuinely interested. I was told Dutch people are very rude, but I’ve never experienced that. That was something people had warned me about. Sure, they are direct and to the point. It’s different, but I wouldn’t label it as rude. The Netherlands is nice, it’s beautiful, it’s safe, the infrastructure is great and there is plenty of cycling of course.

What do you do at WEB?

I did my master’s in electronic engineering, but I am working more in electrical engineering at WEB. Here at WEB I work in the Projects Team. At the client I work as an Industrialization Engineer in a team that supplies power to parts of a big system. The system is broken into groups which are then further divided into smaller subgroups. My team and I work to supply power, cabling, and safety handling to several parts of the system.

We also have mid-year and end-year reviews to help us keep track of our growth and progress , which is great. the personal development plans, help put things into perspective. Further, enjoy being involved in the fun activities that WEB has to offer. The Friday get togethers, the games nights and recently the WEB library.

Why would you choose WEB?

The approachability of everyone is definitely one of the best aspects of WEB. I think everyone is willing to help and listen and I feel respected. Even if you do not need any help and just need someone to listen, you really get that here at WEB. I would definitely choose WEB again. I don’t know many people that come from different recruiting companies so I can’t speak about that, but I was happy and comfortable with WEB. It was a little stressful when I didn’t have my housing, but I got the support I needed. I’m also happy with the apartment WEB helped me get.

What advice would you give new joiners?

I would say do it. You mustn’t be scared to ask questions. It’s a big decision so inform yourself but know you can ask anything , and people are willing to answer. Just make an informed decision.

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