"They often don't expect to see a woman in the recycling industry."
Joyce - Loader truck driver
Female driver in waste collection
Joyce has worked in the transport industry for 23 years. She started on the flower line in East and West Germany and then drove in ferry transport. During that time, she was mostly on the road abroad. Eventually, she no longer felt safe as a woman travelling alone.While working, she met the father of her children. After the birth of her children, she temporarily stopped working.
Combine work and family? That is possible at Renewi
Through an employment agency, she ended up on the grab truck. Eventually, she was offered a contract by the director, who helped her to enable combining work and family. This allowed her to start later because she had to take her children to school first.Working as a driver at Renewi
At Renewi, Joyce gained a lot of experience as an all-round driver.She currently works on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday on the loader truck at Renewi. The other days she spends with her children. Now that they are getting older and going to school more often, she also regularly works on Friday mornings. She loves working in a man's world and loves the freedom the work gives her.
"Men are a bit easier and more committed, and also kinder because you are a woman. That was true from the beginning. They come to help you without you having to ask, and you can rely on them. If you are new and you walk into the canteen, you do get stared at. But the second time, nobody looks up."
"Men often think women are not strong enough. The advantage these days is that you don't have to have that power yourself - the truck does the work."
Joyce regularly gets comments from people who see her driving:
"They often don't expect to see a woman in the recycling industry."