InAxtion is a people-focused employment agency. Good working relationships help us connect skilled workers from other EU countries with suitable roles within the Netherlands. Location Manager, Wouter Stemerdink, has overseen our office in Amsterdam for more than 8 years. He’s also responsible for deploying employees. We invited Wouter to share his inside perspective on InAxtion.
Electricians for the Amsterdam area
When Wouter first joined the InAxtion office in Amsterdam, they had a few Dutch employees. Since then, they’ve built strong relationships with recruitment agencies in other European countries, including Croatia, Romania, and Poland. Their mission is simple – bring the best technical talent to the Netherlands.
With InAxtion, it’s possible to find long-term work opportunities. In fact, many of the people Wouter and his team recruited 7 or 8 years ago are still working for InAxtion. His consultants mainly find electricians for large-scale infrastructure projects including locks, bridges, and tunnels in Amsterdam and the north. They also recruit electricians for data center projects in the area.
A technical talent shortage
A combination of factors – including educational trends, and a lack of qualified electricians – means the Netherlands has a strong demand for electricians and other skilled workers. The skills gap is so huge that the country is unable to fill it with Dutch workers alone. Instead, it must look abroad for top technical talent.
InAxtion isn’t the only agency in the Netherlands placing skilled workers from other EU countries in technical roles, but the market is big enough for everyone. What sets InAxtion apart is the value we place on building positive, long-lasting relationships. The projects that come through are almost always long-term, which means workers have a chance to establish themselves in the region.
More than an employment agency
The guys that arrived when Wouter first started were in their mid-to-late twenties. Most came to the Netherlands fairly inexperienced. Not only did Wouter and the InAxtion team find them suitable projects, they also helped them to settle in the country. Some ended up bringing their families over to live; others have chosen to live away from home and travel back to their home countries on a regular basis.
Moving to a new country is tough – especially when you don’t speak the same language. That’s why InAxtion offers Dutch-language lessons for employees who want to learn. We also help register with doctors and dentists so they have access to healthcare.
One of the first things InAxtion consultants do for new employees is help them register for a citizen service number (BSN) – a unique nine-digit personal number that’s required for getting a job and accessing government services. InAxtion also provides its workers from abroad with accommodation and, when needed, transportation.
A great way to collaborate
Wouter takes the view that our consultants are like a family away from home for the employees who come to work here. To ensure workers don’t have a wasted journey to the Netherlands, we facilitate meetings between our consultants and the recruitment agencies we work with in other EU countries.
These partnerships include visits to worksites, so recruiters can see what skills are needed and what’s expected of workers. This helps our recruitment network to find the right people for the work available. On top of that, it means the companies we serve get workers with the right skills and the right mindset for the job.
The benefit for workers is that they take up a role that’s a good fit for them, and they end up staying in the country to complete several projects over an extended period of time. By taking a collaborative approach to placing workers with companies, we ensure that if something ever goes wrong, we can put it right by getting everyone around the table.
The InAxtion Amsterdam office has recently relocated! You can now find us at Noorddammerweg 109-07 Amstelveen. With on-site storage for cars and tools, the new premises will be an opportunity to serve employees better.
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