Mark
How it started
Mark is 40 years old and has been working in the drilling world for about 19 years. But the route to the drilling world is quite special: “I actually wanted to become an English teacher, went to sea for a while, worked for a construction company, I even served in the army for a while and from there I ended up by accident in the drilling department of another organization. I was supposed to start as a welding assistant, but the men from the drilling department asked if anyone was available to help with the drilling. I did that as a newbie and I enjoyed it so much that I never left the drilling world.”
About 4 years ago, he came into contact with Drillcon, the drilling department of A.Hak, through another client. “The client I was working for had too many staff and A.Hak was looking for people. Then I was first seconded to A.Hak and that went so well that I started working for them as a freelancer. Initially as a drilling crew member, but due to my experience I soon had the opportunity to become a foreman.”
A day in the life of Mark
A working day starts at 6:30 AM with a cup of coffee and discussing the planning with the team. Then they get to work. Mark keeps a close eye on the planning and if something changes in the meantime, he discusses this directly with his team. Together with the men on the machine, he keeps track of the telereport. At the end of the day, Mark makes a complete package of this, which he then neatly forwards to the client.
Because the projects take place throughout the country, Mark is almost always away from home. According to him, that’s just part of the job. What does he like most about his work? The variety. “You always come to different places, always different challenges, always find different solutions for them. One time I’m mainly working inside and the other time I’m replacing one of the guys outside. You also always see new people, or people you haven’t seen for a very long time. Great fun.”
Fun and freedom
Mark especially appreciates the social side of A.Hak. “The atmosphere is just great. We help each other, and if someone needs a little more attention or support, that’s no problem at all. You get enough freedom here and they really take the time for you. We work with nice people on great projects. I have been working as a freelancer for seven years now and have therefore experienced several drilling companies, but I really think A.Hak is the best company I have worked for.”
Within his team, Mark combines hard work with humor. “I’m one for fooling around. But I always make sure that everything is taken care of. It’s just a mix of hard work and having fun.” What gives him energy? When everything is going well, the atmosphere is good and everyone is enjoying themselves. “And the sun of course also makes up for a lot.”
Outside of work
After work, Mark knows how to enjoy himself. He is a proud father of two children and enjoys being behind the barbecue. Cooking is a hobby anyway: every Sunday there is always vegetable soup with schnitzel on the table. “That is a tradition in our home.” In addition, he is a fanatical Formula 1 fan and goes to a race every year.
