Patrick van der Vlist has been working as Lead Engineer at a company that develops electronics for smart mobility solutions, semiconductor solutions and connectivity since November 2021. As a Lead Engineer, Patrick is responsible for the coordination of projects and for managing various engineers.
The company he works for is an international organization that develops and supplies electronics that contribute to sustainability issues. The focus is on the development of future solutions for electric power trains, charging infrastructure for electric cars, sustainable agricultural applications, digitalization of medical solutions and the production of microchips. These developments are possible thanks to the 2,500 specialists working for this company in six different countries. The products offered are made and delivered from start to finish in all disciplines.
Patrick is currently working on several projects. The coolest project he has been involved in was a project for a multinational. Patrick: “This customer has several factories in Asia and suffered from earthquakes. During these earthquakes, machines often broke down and had to be replaced. I was on the team to think about solutions to this problem and also to make them. Now, for example, the heavier parts of such machines are secured with magnets when there is an earthquake. The challenge in this project lies in its simplicity. You can add all sorts of things to the machine, but the hardest part is keeping the machine simplistic. It is important to make what the customer wants”.
"I find it important to be heard and I am heard at ENTER"
Patrick van der Vlist
Really interested
Patrick went from the Havo (Senior general secondary education) to the MBO (Intermediate Vocational Education), where he studied Electrical Engineering. During his time at the MBO, he started working at a small machine factory that is active in the metal industry. After the MBO, Patrick went to study Electrical Engineering at the HBO. For his graduation internship, he ended up at the company where he is doing his current assignment via ENTER. But after his internship he first went back to the machine factory where he already worked. And then one of our Account Managers, Bart, contacted him via LinkedIn. "Bart showed right from the start that he was really interested in me. Not just in business, but also in my private life," Patrick says. "Most recruiters just want to get you in and close a deal quickly. I think it's very important to be heard and that's what I get at ENTER".
"I work to live, I don't live to work"
Patrick van der Vlist
When asked what makes Patrick's heart beat faster, he says with a big smile; ''Apart from my girlfriend? Good discipline within a team and looking for solutions together with the customer. By sparring with the customer, we come to new insights. In this way, we give the customer new insights and vice versa." In the future, Patrick would like to become a father and travel. "Mexico and Japan are high on my list. If I go to Mexico, it would be cool if I spoke Spanish." And he adds, "I work to live, I don't live to work."
