Fons Bannenberg: “I have found what gives me energy”

After studying Applied Science at the Fontys Hogeschool in Eindhoven, Fons Bannenberg became fascinated by the diversity of the food industry, and he started his career as a process engineer at NIRAS Netherlands.

The variety of the work challenges keeps him on his toes and give him energy, and looking to the future he can see many more exciting challenges ahead.

Doing what you like

When Fons looks back at his studies in Applied Science, he can see a lot of similarities between what attracted him as a student and what he is actually doing right now as a process engineer for NIRAS Nederland.

“Fortunately, the two directions have a lot in common and I can now get my head around the chemical knowledge required. Besides, you see that more colleagues have chemical process engineering as a background. During my studies, I enjoyed drawing up different models and calculations, but during the internships and researches you often only got one part to work on,” Fons explains.

‘I have found what gives me energy’

Fons is happy to have chosen to work within the food sector because it has a lot to offer in terms of applying his professional knowledge to projects:

“I find my work fun and educational, because I get to apply my knowledge in practice. But I also get to learn new things and apply that new knowledge. At NIRAS Netherlands, I have found what gives me energy. And that's looking into the whole process. Mapping out the entire process and seeing the effects of each individual element that you change and engineer.”

According to Fons, there is a big difference between studying and working on real projects.

“During your studies you have a very theoretical approach, making a kind of copy of an existing production facility. Now you see what your work will bring about in the actual situation. No more open ends, but real effects. What is also different in practice than during my studies is the collaboration with colleagues and working for a client with the additional dynamics. The interaction with different disciplines to this extent is not something you learn at school, but you pick up more easily in practice,” he says.

The cooperation with experienced colleagues is another important aspect of working on projects, and each day brings new insights.

“What I personally think is the biggest learning point is making that cooperation with your team members and the synergy that comes with it a subject for discussion. It helps to reach a common understanding of what working together holds,” Fons points out.

‘I feel very valued as a team member’

Fons explains that one of the things that has appealed to him in NIRAS is the ability to challenge decisions and suggestions in order to achieve the best possible solution.

“For each assignment, we first inquire whether this is really what the client wants, or should want. This is a very good and necessary approach. In this manner, we can eradicate false assumptions and wrong decisions early on in the process.”

Fons would like to be given more responsibility as an engineer at some point, but he is also aware that it is a gradual process.

“I know that I first have to master all the basics of each task, but I also feel that there is space to develop myself in my job. It also helps that I already feel that I am very valued as a team member. You don't have to be a Lead Engineer to make a difference. Good questions and new points of view are appreciated. Also by clients, where I think it is important that they consciously accept a choice of option, instead of blindly accepting our solutions. Obtaining a little more decisiveness as a professional is a great goal for me.”