Maikel Wolsink from the Achterhoek feels completely at home in Hengelo

This article is part of a series called “Twente Leeft!” (Twente Lives!). You can read personal stories here about living and working in Twente. Twente is a nice place to be, according to the talents we meet. The beautiful nature, space, the down-to-earth mentality; they all characterise Twente. There are also plenty of career opportunities! Twente has many innovative, international and future-proof companies that are desperate for staff. Want to know what Twente has to offer? You can find Maikel Wolsinks story below.

Maikel Wolsink got to know Twente as a student. He studied Network Administration and ICT Management at the ROC in Hengelo. He did his internship at Heutink ICT, also located in Hengelo, and he started working there after he graduated. He worked for another employer in Hengelo for a short time but returned to Heutink. This time not at the service desk but as an operational coordinator, a manager function. Moving to Hengelo is not necessary as far as he is concerned: he is perfectly content in Neede in the Achterhoek, though he likes working in Twente.

He feels most at home at Heutink ICT. “I felt it straight away, during my internship”, he says. “The company has a warm atmosphere and feels like a family business. I sometimes say it's like working with friends. That's how it feels, making working at Heutink very nice.” He also appreciates the industry in which Heutink operates. “We make sure that children can get the best possible education”, he explains. “We work for the social good, and that feels great." That is also why he returned to his 'old company' after his brief time in an ICT position at a company that was only interested in business; he likes the clients in the world of education much better than those in the world of business. "It is nice to know that when you solve a problem for a teacher or a tutor, it will ultimately help children develop as well as possible”, he explains. "They call us when a video is stuck, the interactive whiteboard is not working properly or when there are problems with the children's Chromebooks. They can continue their work if we solve those problems – that is why we do what we do.”

How much Maikel enjoys his work at Heutink is evident from the fact that he stayed with them after his internship. “I was planning to keep studying, but I decided not to because I liked my job so much. Heutink gives me plenty of opportunities”, he says. “I once indicated that I would like to be a manager. My manager immediately said that that was a great goal and we would work towards it. I now achieved that goal. What I like about this job is that I can ensure the entire team is working together, that we always serve our clients and help them on their way."

Heutink pays a lot of attention to employee training. "You can get technical certificates, but you can also brush up on your soft skills. I, for example, recently followed a course in result-oriented delegation. It was exciting.”

Maikel can be found in Hengelo five times a week because of his work – just a twenty-minute drive from Neede – but you can sometimes find him there after working hours. “Our company is close to the city centre, so you can find us on a terrace at De Twee Wezen or a bit further in Enschede at Paddy's or the cinema. The surroundings here are beautiful, too; I started going for walks during the corona crisis, and I have been going for walks a lot near Buurse and Haaksbergen, just over the border. And I will also take part in the Yu Man Race in Hellendoorn in August. With colleagues, yes. All in all, I know I won’t be leaving here anytime soon!”

Twente lives

Twente is the ideal place to live and work, according to the talents we meet. Want to know why? Read personal stories about living and making a career in Twente on twente.com/twente-leeft. Want to look for a job immediately? Then take a look at our extensive job site.