Jeroen Renting: from student to facility manager at Summa
Are you a student or worker at Summa on Sterrenlaan, Microstad, or Vestdijk? Then chances are you know Jeroen Renting (25) or have spoken to him. Not just because he's tall and always greets everyone with a big smile, but because he makes sure everything runs smoothly at these school locations. After completing his studies at Summa, Jeroen Renting decided to stick around and gain experience as a facilities manager.
My father has been a janitor at Strabrecht College in Geldrop for the past 20 years. I shadowed him during my internship to experience what his work entailed. That's where I first encountered the profession and its diversity. Facilities is so much more than just engaging students and ensuring order and cleanliness. You're a troubleshooter, and you have to be a jack of all trades. You're often the first point of contact for people in times of panic because you're a familiar face.
A day as a facility manager
"You're the coordinator of a facilities team," Jeroen explains. "As a facilities manager, you receive requests from the educational sector and have your team handle them. You're also responsible for building safety, maintaining contact with suppliers, ensuring the building opens and closes, and organizing daily staffing and covering for sick leave and vacation leave."
Your responsibilities vary by location. One thing's for sure: no two days are the same. You're constantly switching gears and organizing. For example, the summer holidays are just around the corner. This is a great opportunity for the facilities team to consider what maintenance is needed at a school location. We'll have plenty of time for that.
From a pool of starters to a permanent contract
Ultimately, I moved from the Facilities B group to Facilities C. This means you assist the coordinator more. You gather information from the educational sector so we can further improve the services. I always wanted a coordinating role. When a vacancy opened up, I applied immediately. I wasn't hired the first time, but it did lead to a traineeship. I was mentored by an experienced coordinator, Theo, who is now nearing retirement, and I can happily take over from him.
The best challenge is in events
Organizing an event isn't always without its challenges. Jeroen handles them well. "Sometimes the contact person provides minimal input, telling them the rest will follow. It's my job to follow up, develop a script, and prepare everything. This also means I've learned to say no when the briefing isn't clear about what exactly is expected of us. We facilitate, not own, the event."
Team spirit
I've been working at Summa for two and a half years now, and I'm completely in the right place. It's a very committed organization, and they really listen to you. When I come to them with a good idea, I'm given the space to try it out. Personally, I don't experience a sense of hierarchy, but rather a team spirit of working together.