Saskia - Compactor truck driver 

From security to the recycling industry: "I always wanted to get my big driving licence"  

Saskia has worked in the security industry for many years. She always wanted to get her big driving licence. 
Through a friend, she then joined Renewi and has been working as a driver on the compactor truck for over a year now. 
Saskia works 32 hours a week and mainly collects commercial waste. She leaves for work early in the morning. Grabs the keys and route map and goes to start the car. 
"Then we drive the route. You have clients you visit almost every day. These include both large and small companies. For example restaurants, schools and care homes. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you drive the longer distances and the other days mainly on industrial estates in the area."

Navigating the city and the profession 

'The work is not too different from what I imagined beforehand. But I overlooked the navigation. 
My navigation skills are not very good. And then when you have 100 addresses in a day, it's not great. For the routes I drive, I made my own booklets with notes. The more often you drive a route the easier it becomes, of course. There is still the occasional customer who makes you think: 'Where exactly is he located? 

Working as a woman in a man's world

'I was always used to working in a man's world since I come from the security industry. From my own experience, I think you work better with men. Women can be tricky. They sometimes hold grudges. A man says something, and the next day you go back to work with a fresh start and it is solved. I noticed that my colleagues were immediately very helpful. Everyone was willing to help and answer my questions, for example about a particular route. I immediately felt included in the team and valued as a colleague. The atmosphere is very pleasant and with colleagues it is always fun. But you should not be shy and you need to be a little robust. You have to stand firm in your shoes. It must really be in your nature. That's what I've learned over the past few years.' 
 

Physical work with a solid dose of perseverance 

'The small wheelie bins I can easily pick up myself, and the heavier bins you do in pairs. The advantage is that the arms of the truck empty the bins. So that makes a difference. You have to know how to get stuck in. It is not a lazy truck-driving job. After the first two days I was on the truck, I could not walk from muscle pain. I suddenly felt muscles I didn't know I had.' 

That's why Saskia enjoys working at Renewi 

'What's nice is that you get to know the customers. Some customers you never see and with others you just walk into the building. They ask if you want a cup of coffee and have a chat. You always interact with people in this line of work. That's exactly what makes it fun. It’s fun to be out and about. I can’t bear the thought of sitting in the office all day. In this work, every day is different. 
What is also an advantage is that I became a permanent employee after only six months. Renewi is a pleasant company to work for. I hurt my back at Christmas, for example. I received regular phone calls in the following weeks asking how I was doing.'