Qualified chef – Pedro Ezequiel – has been working on luxury yachts since 2022. But not in his chef’s whites. Seeing the opportunity for a new career, and a change of lifestyle, he left the kitchens of Australia for the shipyards of the Netherlands.
The Netherlands has a long and famous history of shipbuilding. In the present day, the industry is thriving with plenty of opportunities for skilled laborers to work in and around the shipyards, and onboard various vessels – including luxury yachts.
Here’s the story of how Pedro made the switch.
What brought you to the Netherlands?
I’m not a steelworker by trade. I’m actually a qualified baker and chef. Some time ago, I decided not to work in the food industry anymore – so now I’m doing steelwork on luxury yachts here in the Netherlands!
I was born and raised in Portugal, and at the age of 23 I came to the Netherlands for a couple of years. After meeting someone, I moved to Australia, where I did a chef’s apprenticeship. Except for the weather – it rains a lot – the Netherlands is quite similar to Australia.
I moved back to Portugal for a time, until a good friend of mine – who also works for InAxtion – suggested I come back to the Netherlands. Since then, I’ve lived here. Now I only go back to Portugal on holiday to see my son, who still lives there. It’s been a good move for me.
What skills or qualifications did you need for this role?
I don’t have a background in welding, construction, or anything like that – so I have to turn my hand to anything I’m asked to do. To gain more experience, I’ve said ‘yes’ to everything that’s come up so far.
Because I’ve not had any formal training, I’m learning a lot on the job. My advice for anyone looking to make the switch is to turn up every day and do your best. That’s how you get your skills up. That’s how I’m improving my skills, anyway!
Can you describe a typical working day?
I get to work at 6:00 am. We have a meeting at 6:30 am with the foreman. He gives us the work for the day, and we go to our workplace, and do whatever needs to be done. I’ve been on this particular project since September 2023, and I’m still there. It’s been good!
Right now, I mainly fit fire doors and hatches on superyachts – like the one Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, recently bought – which involves some basic grinding and cutting of metal. Today, I worked on anchors for the port and starboard.
For the last few days, I’ve worked alone on some small aluminum pieces. That’s different from normal. I usually work as one of a pair, mostly for safety reasons. For example, if we’re working on hatches, one person goes inside and the other stays outside – in case there’s a problem.
I would definitely say that being able to speak English is a real advantage. If you’re thinking about living and working in the Netherlands, you need to know and understand basic Dutch or English to get by. I already knew some Dutch from when I was last here – numbers and stuff like that. But my current work partner is a Dutch national who doesn’t speak any English, so I’ve learned a lot more!
I want to learn more Dutch. It’s important to learn the language. I can speak English, but I still want to learn, you know? After all, I want to stay here!
How has InAxtion helped you?
InAxtion has been great. I really appreciate what the team has done for me because when I came here, I had nothing. They’ve always been good to me, and they’re really nice people. They put me in a house, and they helped me find a car.
My current agent – Louis – is also Portuguese, so that was a nice connection. There are people from many different nationalities working in the shipyards, and I find Dutch people to be very respectful towards other cultures.
The other great thing about working for InAxtion is that there’s plenty of work. My current project lasts until 2028, and if you come to the Netherlands, working on luxury yachts is great work – if you can get it.
Discover more about working for InAxtion. Contact us
