6 June 2024
Annemieke, 31 years old, originally from central Netherlands, moved to Brabant for her studies in Industrial Engineering and Management. The charm of Brabant's warm atmosphere kept her there. After her studies, she found her place at AAE, where she has built her career over the past four years. She started as a production planner and after two years, she promoted to team lead for part of the department. Recently, Annemieke took a new step as team lead for production of the project leads of Advanced OEM Systems (AOS) and Printing & Assembly Automation (PAA). With just a month of experience in this role, we explore her story and ambitions at AAE.
After graduating in Industrial Engineering and Management, my goal wasn't necessarily to work at a technical company, but I did want to start in production planning. I was looking for a company where the atmosphere felt just right—preferably not too big, not too small, and with an informal vibe. It was crucial for me not to feel like just a number. With these criteria in mind, I began my search. Then my brother pointed me to AAE. It felt immediately right, and I was able to start in production planning, exactly where I wanted to start. My expectations matched the reality, and they still do!”
From production planner to team lead planning
As a production planner, Annemieke was pivotal in ensuring the production plans.“Every project starts with a production plan, but flexibility during a project is very important,” she explains. As a production planner, her task was to monitor the plan closely and quickly adapt if things did not go as expected. Communication played a significant role in her function. “As a production planner, you have a lot of contact with the procurement department to ensure that all necessary materials arrive on time. You also communicate frequently with the team lead and project leads of production. They need to be kept informed about the status. Collaboration is crucial here, especially when facing challenges. Together, we always make sure we meet the deadlines, no matter what.” Rapidly, Annemieke became the team lead for production planning, where she learned many new things. “Leading a team brought new challenges, but also new opportunities to learn and grow,” Annemieke says proudly.
Improvements
Annemieke emphasizes the importance of teamwork and the progress made in recent years in the collaboration between different departments. She enthusiastically explains: “We have been able to improve our processes through active communication with various departments. A specific example is that we now better assess the machine setup at the front end. As a result, the sequence of the material flow is better aligned with the expectations and requirements, leading to more efficient construction. We have made significant strides in this area through the collaboration between the project lead, planning, and manufacturing engineering. Although we still face challenges with materials arriving too early or too late, we are working hard to resolve this issue. Our goal for the coming years is to build machines even faster and more reliably. So, we still have a lot of work ahead of us!”
New role, new approach
After a few enjoyable years working in production planning, Annemieke recently took on the role of team lead for production, a leap into the unknown given her lack of a technical background. She shares her approach: “It was essential for me to spend the first month working closely with the team. This gave me insight into their work and helped me gain a better understanding of the technical aspects, which is crucial in my role. I also used this period to observe where the bottlenecks are and to get to know my team members personally. My focus is on optimizing the production processes, increasing efficiency in the production processes, and improving collaboration between departments.”
And why this new step? “I always wanted to work closer to the operational side, to really see what happens daily. I strongly believe that this insight is very valuable. Additionally, AAE was looking for someone who wasn't necessarily technically skilled, because we already have many technical experts. They needed someone who could think along with the processes. Personally, I was also considering my future: what do I really want? Although I enjoyed planning and learned a lot there, I also realized that I wouldn’t discover what I want to achieve if I stayed there. These factors together led to my decision to take this new direction.”
Informal and open atmosphere
The great opportunities that Annemieke has taken in a short period are not always a given. She is convinced that creating opportunities is a two-way street. “The informal and open atmosphere at AAE allows me to be completely myself, which enables me to truly show what I am capable of. Being allowed to make mistakes gives me a lot of confidence. This helps me to grow and improve.” She continues with a laugh, “I still remember how I felt at the start of my career. AAE is my first real job. At first, I really wondered how I would manage working 40 hours a week and how I would keep enjoying it. AAE quickly took away that doubt. I enjoy my work a lot. Thanks to my colleagues around me, I go to AAE with pleasure every day. We truly do it together, and that’s amazing to see. Everyone is helpful, open, and takes time for each other. I appreciate that immensely,” she says with a big smile.
Want to read more about working at AAE? Read the blogs of the colleagues of Annemieke here.
