Marijn: Coordinator Product Engineering
The 37-year-old Marijn Janssens works as a Coordinator Product Engineering at IZEN. As a coach she supports everyone within IZEN on a technical level, together with her team, and helps them to better serve customers by examining new products and problems of existing products. Marijn also organizes training courses for colleagues at the IZEN Academy.
“Being able to work well together with someone
is not at all determined by gender.”
- Name: Marijn Janssens
- Age: 37
- Studies: Master’s degree in Commercial Engineering with a major in International Relations and Diplomacy (Universiteit Antwerpen)
- Position: Coordinator Product Engineering
- Hobby: Jogging
The 37-year-old Marijn Janssens works as a Coordinator Product Engineering at IZEN. As a coach she supports everyone within IZEN on a technical level, together with her team, and helps them to better serve customers by examining new products and problems of existing products. Marijn also organizes training courses for colleagues at the IZEN Academy.
How long have you been working at VINCI Energies?
Marijn: IZEN, part of VINCI Energies since several years, is my first employer. After completing my master in Commercial Engineering, I started to work at the company. During the job interview, the company appealed to me because of the working atmosphere and the job security. After all, renewable energy is the future. In the beginning, I worked in the B2B department. That position was in line with my educational background and involved a combination of both technical and communicative tasks. My language skills also came in handy, as I was in direct contact with international partners and also had the opportunity, for example, to work in Chile on the construction of a park. Back in Belgium, I joined the EPC team as Operations Team Coordinator. And finally, one and a half years ago, I became Coordinator Product Engineering. By now, I have been working at VINCI Energies for 13 years and I can honestly admit that I already look back with pride on my career during which I have been able to hold various positions and expand my knowledge.
What advice would you give to women who are still doubting to pursue a technical profession?
Marijn: Everyone should follow their own ambitions and gut feeling, regardless of all the clichés. Despite the fact that the technical sector is still male-dominated, you should follow your own interests. Within VINCI Energies, I have worked with both men and women and the collaboration went smoothly in both cases. Working well together with someone is not at all determined by gender but depends on various factors such as mutual respect.
Who do you look up to?
Marijn: I have a lot of admiration for Noëmi Willemen: a historian, illustrator, blogger, feminist and mom. What makes her so wonderful is how she puts into words the prevailing feeling of women within society. There is still much need for change: for example, working mothers should be given more work flexibility. Fortunately, as a mom I do get the opportunity to work 4/5 at VINCI Energies. I am also very inspired by the way my parents raised me: at home there was a lot of room for open discussions and the motto was ‘Do what you love in life’.
