Akwasi Boamah - Welder
I learn a lot here. Besides, it is a nice and pleasant company, the conditions are good, and the payment is always neat as well."
How did you end up at Bilfinger?
'I ended up at Bilfinger through a teacher of mine. Two years ago I was looking for an internship for two weeks. Then I went to another school and when I went for another internship I came back to Bilfinger. I then had to take a test for the IBO; you have to pass that as a welder to show that you have mastered welding. Fortunately, I passed the tests well and was hired!
What does your training look like?
'The welder training takes a total of six months. I'm about a month and a half in now so I have about 4.5 months to go. I would like to try to do it a little faster. It helps that I have a good instructor. He is also my permanent contact and I learn a lot from him. If I don't know something he does it for me. Because of that one-on-one coaching I learn quickly.'
What do you like about your work?
'If my workpiece is very clean then I am happy! I love the craft of welding and if my piece is nice and strong, my day is successful. And sometimes I get up, go to work and I think, "My previous piece of work was good, and I feel very much like starting the next one." '
How important is teamwork?
'Of course, as welders, we often work separately, then we have our own welding jobs. But still, teamwork is very important. You get good ideas from each other and you can produce the best work together. You also pull at each other in a team to deliver the best performance together.'
Can you describe a typical workday?
'Around 6:30 a.m. I'm here. At 06.45 we start at the workshop. Everyone knows what he or she has to do; for example, I continue with the piece of work I was working on the previous day. I gather the pipes and tools, and start grinding and cleaning, and then I start welding. Each workpiece is different, which makes it challenging every time. At about 3:15 p.m., my workday is done.
How would you describe the culture at Bilfinger?
'I have nice colleagues. They are all friendly people and there is also room to joke around among ourselves. In the end, we all come to work for a fun day. I do think it's very important to have good contact with my colleagues so I'm glad things are going so well!'
What do you need to do your job well?
'First of all, of course, my PPE such as safety shoes, goggles, earplugs, everywhere. This is all very important to work safely. But what is also important is the right mindset. You have to be able to be focused on your work. We are people and not machines, so making a mistake is in a small corner.'
What makes you proud to work at Bilfinger?
'As a welder, you are rigorously assessed; achieving the IBO was difficult, but I finally succeeded and I am proud of that. In addition, Bilfinger ROB is one of the best welding companies in the region. At Bilfinger, everything has to be of high quality - we have to prove to the customer every time that we are the best and deliver good quality. So I am also very happy and proud to work at Bilfinger!
Why should new colleagues choose Bilfinger?
'I learn a lot here. Besides, it is a nice and friendly company, the conditions are good, and the payment is always neat. And for the nice colleagues too, of course!'
Does Akwasi's story sound like music to your ears? Look for our vacancies at:
Other colleagues at Team Bilfinger
