How Jaimy (18) found his feet in the cleanroom: ‘This is where I discovered what engineering is really all about’
After finishing secondary school, Jaimy van der Sanden couldn’t see himself taking an office job. The practical side of engineering appealed to him much more. At AAE, he started out in the cleanroom, whilst at the same time beginning the BBL course in Mechatronics. ‘I went in with an open mind and it was only here that I really discovered what engineering is all about. There are so many different directions you can take with it.’
Although many of his classmates went on to study at a university of applied sciences after completing their HAVO, Jaimy deliberately chose an MBO course at Ter AA in Helmond. ‘I wanted to work with my hands. Technology appealed to me, although at the time I didn’t know exactly what that entailed. I used to help my father with technical jobs from time to time; that’s where my interest came from.’ It was through his father that Jaimy ended up at AAE. ‘He knew someone who spoke highly of the company. I soon came to feel the same way.’ AAE, based in Helmond, develops high-tech machinery, including for the semiconductor sector. Part of the production process takes place in a cleanroom, which is where Jaimy and many of his colleagues work. ‘At first, I had no idea what a cleanroom was, but I just took the plunge’
Complex puzzle
The work turned out to suit Jaimy very well. ‘The need for precision and the complexity make it challenging. I’m always learning something new.’ This is also the view of one of the work placement supervisors, Joost Verbaarschot (cleanroom production manager). ‘You could think of Jaimy’s work as putting together a highly complex 3D jigsaw puzzle. Jaimy checks that he has all the pieces and connects them correctly according to the instructions or drawing. The tricky bit is that you can’t afford to make mistakes in an environment like this, whereas as a student, that’s precisely how you learn.’ That’s why AAE works with a ‘buddy’ system: a student is mentored one-to-one by an experienced member of staff. This gives students the chance to do things for themselves, whilst having a source of advice close at hand. ‘Conversely, I also regularly ask the “why” question,’ says Joost. ‘It’s not just a matter of turning a knob, but of understanding why you’re doing something.’
Developing within AAE
In this way, Joost sees young people, such as Jaimy, develop, both technically and socially. ‘That’s what makes the role of practical supervisor so rewarding. The students who come here are extremely motivated, keen to progress and solution-oriented. I’ve already seen many of them progress within AAE.’ Jaimy shares that ambition. He sees himself moving into engineering in due course, preferably within AAE. ‘The colleagues, the atmosphere and the nature of the work… I’m really enjoying it here. I work on great products that ultimately enable very tangible applications. Without those products, your phone wouldn’t work, for example, but not everyone realises that.’ In his two years at AAE, Jaimy has picked up a great deal of knowledge, but he has also developed personally. ‘I’m now more confident about asking questions and less afraid of making mistakes. My self-confidence has grown.’
Discovering through experience
Although Jaimy isn’t the only BBL student at AAE, they aren’t exactly coming in droves either. The company isn’t alone in this: across the entire Brainport region, more technical talent is needed to strengthen the semiconductor sector. According to Joost and Jaimy, the fact that work in the cleanroom is little known plays a significant role. ‘It’s difficult to explain exactly what we do,’ says Joost. ‘I’m pleased that Ter AA now has its own cleanroom, which means it’s featured in study programmes and will hopefully become a bit more of a talking point amongst young people.’
In addition, Joost deliberately arranges for students to observe work in other departments at AAE, so that they can experience the full breadth of the technical field. ‘That’s how I try to keep them interested in the sector.’ According to Jaimy, ‘experiencing’ it for themselves is precisely the key. ‘It was only at AAE that I realised what engineering really entails. I’d therefore advise young people to come and shadow us for a while. It would be good if schools encouraged that. In my opinion, experiencing it for yourself is the best way to discover what suits you.’