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21 November 2023
As Atlas Professionals, we are committed to providing the best possible recruitment solutions for both our Professionals and our Clients and Fedde Visser, Production Manager Upstream at TAQA in the Netherlands has seen both sides of what we can do.
Although the usage of natural gas will decline over the coming years as Renewable Energy becomes more widespread, it will remain necessary in the Energy supply in the coming decades as Renewable Energy sources such as solar and wind power are not always available. Gas is a good energy source to provide ‘back-up’ energy – only if it is readily available when need. This is where gas storage companies like TAQA come into play.
Fedde Visser, Production Manager Midstream at TAQA in the Netherlands, explains: “TAQA is the operator and co-owner of two underground gas storage facilities in Alkmaar, the Netherlands: the Peak Gas Installation and Gas Storage Bergermeer. Gas Storage Bergermeer is the largest freely accessible gas storage in Western Europe and has a storage capacity of 4.3 billion m³. This is equivalent to the average annual gas demand of 4.5 million Dutch households. Within these facilities, high-calorific gas is stored - gas that is used by industry and the electricity sector.”
As Fedde greets us into TAQA’s head office in the Netherlands, we get to reminisce a time where he was working as a contractor: “My relationship with Atlas Professionals is a long and interesting one,” mentions Fedde. “I started out at TAQA as an Operator 10 years ago thanks to Atlas Professionals, and now, after a series of internal promotions, I am working with Atlas Professionals to secure the talent we need for TAQA. I guess you could say that I have been on both ends of the equilibrium,” Fedde mentions with a smile.
Why he has been with TAQA for a decade? The answer is simple: “I really like working at TAQA as this is a quite large company with a modest character. The modesty comes from our relationships - I know everyone at TAQA, from engineering to country managers, making it a really enjoyable place to work. However, the company is large enough for me to meet new people and learn new things from them on a regular basis so I can keep developing myself. It is a perfect balance of both worlds!”
Importance of Transferrable Skillsets
TAQA continues to employ hundreds of skilled talent across their operations in the Netherlands, and when we ask which skills they are looking for, Fedde shares some welcoming messages for all prospective Professionals: “Natural gas is an industry that allows easy transition from other industries if they have the right mindset and technical skillset to do so. Here in TAQA, we also provide training for the role as well, so we encourage anyone with an applicable background to apply for a role that aligns with their experience and qualifications.”
Fedde goes on to detail some examples when it comes to transitioning into a role in TAQA: “Those that have experience with industries like marine shipping, mechanical engineering will realise they already possess the basic skillset they need at TAQA as there are interesting, similar operations within the organisation as well. We also have both onshore and offshore positions for those eyeing to transition from one to the other.”
Successful transitions continue to be of paramount importance for an organisation as large as TAQA. Understanding which skillsets are transferable and which experiences can allow a Professional to adapt to a new work environment is a key component of a successful Professional transition – and an area where Atlas Professionals is dedicated to support its clients. Thanks to our experienced recruiters who know their way around the industry, we are able to inspect a Professional’s career and certifications and understand if they would be a good candidate to undergo the required training or not.
Right Mindset for the Right Job
“Working at TAQA is not just about technical finesse,” mentions Fede. “Personality and attitude – or soft skills – are some of the most important assets we are looking for as well. If you have the right skillset, but not exactly have the experience needed for TAQA, your attitude will allow you to be a valuable member of our team as you will have access to all the training you will need in TAQA as we offer a lot of possibilities to learn on the job. Basically,” he adds “a perfect Operator or a Technician is someone who is willing to learn new things on a continuing basis while enjoying the sense of responsibility TAQA will grant you.”
That is where the personal approach from Atlas Professionals comes in as a great benefit according to Fedde: “It’s always a personal approach and not a ‘tick in the box’ kind of exercise. Anyone can find a certain person with ticking the box requirements, but that doesn’t make them the right person to work at TAQA or to work with us. For recruitment companies, it thus may take a bit more to find the right person, but it will ensure a long-term relationship once you do.”
Atlas Professionals routinely engages with people who trust their careers with us and get to know them better while assisting their professional life along the way. This level of involvement comes especially handy when a company is looking for a Professional with the right mindset to be part of their team, and working with the same Professionals for years allows us to understand their soft skills and motivation in an unparalleled manner.
