Professional talent Niels (22): 'Above all, I want to be able to do as much as possible'

Niels Vlamings (22) from Reusel completed a work-study program at Summa Techniek and works at Driessen BV in Eersel. Last year he obtained his Level 4 diploma in Construction and Sheet Metal Technology. For his final project, he devised a smart solution that reduces the production process from thirteen to just six hours. This earned him a nomination for the Noordhof Prize in the 'Junior Vocational Talent' category. The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday, November 10. We spoke to Niels about his work and his plans.

What do you do at Driessen?
I started as a sheet metal worker and then moved on to welding. I really enjoyed that. I actually thought I would continue in that field. But about two years ago, Driessen started a new CNC machining department. They asked if I wanted to work on it and help build it up. I thought: why not? And that turned out to be a good choice. I really love doing it.

You have been nominated for the Noordhof Prize in the 'Junior Professional Talent' category. How did you qualify for this?
I have been put forward to be nominated by Driessen and Summa. For my final project at Summa, I improved a production process at Driessen. A process that previously took thirteen to fourteen hours now takes only six hours. That saves a considerable amount of time and money.

Initially, we had a mold that only fit one part at a time. Every 24 seconds, you had to open the machine, remove the part, and insert a new one. I came up with a solution that allows us to process eight parts simultaneously. As a result, the machine needs to stop much less often. That makes a huge difference.

Was this your first idea to handle something smarter?
This was my first major process improvement. I had previously devised and developed a different mold together with a colleague, also for a school project. I just find it challenging to see if things can be done better or faster. And when you see at the end that it really works, that gives you a good feeling.

What do you like so much about CNC machining?
Especially the programming. We do that on the computer. You figure out how you're going to make something, and then you see the product come out of the machine. That remains a beautiful thing. It is also very precise work. We are sometimes talking about five hundredths of a millimeter. When you see what beautiful products you can make, that is just awesome. I can really enjoy that.

You are only 22 and are already getting quite a bit of responsibility. What is that like?
Yes, I get a lot of opportunities at Driessen. Of course, I am still being mentored myself, because I still have plenty to learn. But I actually like that. Above all, I want to be able to do as much as possible and keep learning new things. That is why I will soon be taking a course to become a practical trainer. After that, I want to delve deeper into machining. There is still plenty to discover.

Are you also going to supervise high school interns yourself?
Yes, I enjoy doing that. I also attended internship fairs on behalf of Driessen to get young people excited about an internship with us. I really want to show how fun metalworking is. There is so much potential. Just look at myself. A few years ago, I still thought I mainly wanted to weld. Now I am completely enthusiastic about machining. You never know where you will end up eventually.

And now for that nomination for the Noordhof Prize. What do you think of that?
Yes, it's really great, of course! And quite an honor, too. It's wonderful that my work is appreciated in this way. It shows you that what you came up with actually pays off. But I'm far from done learning yet. I'm having a fantastic time at Driessen and I get a lot of opportunities there. I just want to keep seizing them.