As a Junior Mechanical Engineer, Christopher Hoffman works on a wide variety of projects. ‘Because I am a junior, I get the chance to learn all kinds of aspects of the profession. This variation is very nice and beneficial for my personal development.’
Christopher joined KH Engineering in Amsterdam via a stop at DAF in Eindhoven. ‘Me and my wife were born and raised in South Africa, but we both foresaw a better future in the Netherlands’, he says. ‘I got my degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pretoria. During my studies, I specialised in vehicle development as well as nuclear energy. Very different fields, but both fascinating, especially in terms of their energy cycle. Just like the work I am doing for KH Engineering now, which is also fascinating.’
‘Because I am a junior, I get the chance to learn all kinds of facets of the profession. This variation allows for freedom in design, which is exciting and beneficial for my personal development. I can work on many different projects that come along. As a result, my working week consists of projects in different phases. One day you visit a client for a consultation, the next day you create a 3D model for a new concept.’
‘I get the most satisfaction when a client is enthusiastic about the design. Recently, I received a call from a client who was keen to show me how beautiful my design had turned out “in real life”. I had designed a new chain case for a device used in steel production. In practice, it turned out not only to look good, but also to work exactly as we had envisioned it. Of course, such moments are great!’
‘What I like most about working at KH Engineering are the colleagues and the working environment. I can get along very well with all of my colleagues. We share the same sense of humour and the drive to create progressive designs that work well in practice. Moreover, you can ask anyone anything without having the feeling that someone has no time for you. Finally, our team collaborates well and you can tell that from everything we produce.’
‘As colleagues, we also meet up after working hours; for example, for a game of padel or bowling. I am quite sporty and start every day with a run. That’s why I like the fact that you can always get free healthy fruit at the office!’