Everyone on the campus is indispensable, but not everyone is in the spotlight or gets much of the credit for all the hard (team) work that goes on. Resource has been putting these colleagues in the limelight over the past two years in the Key People series. In this final edition, meet Raymond Kraaijenzang (51), the handyman at Nexus, Actio, De Bongerd, the Clock Building and De Valk.
‘When I get asked if I can fix something, I usually say yes. I can see how things are put together, from bicycles to video calling equipment. I have nimble fingers that I have used to replace hundreds of things like tap washers, toilet ballcocks and taps. The most unpleasant job is unblocking toilets, but it’s all part of a day’s work. And when I’m cleaning up the grounds with my leaf blower, I am happy again. I start the day with a tour of the campus in my own van, refilling the photocopiers, putting incoming mail in pigeon holes and repairing anything I see that needs it. Then I plan the rest of my day around the repair requests in the Planon system.
I actually always work on my own. I am also the only one doing this job at the university, and I love that. If I have to work with others, I make sure I have my own task. This is the first job I’ve had in which I can work independently. I used to be supervised all the time, and I had to meet targets and deliver a product – not my thing.
I’m proud of what I do, but I would like more appreciation in the form of salary; I’m almost on the lowest salary scale. To get one higher, I have to take courses, but I have never been good at studying and taking exams, which was why I went to a special school.
I always work on my own and I love that
I hope that other people will see how much I have done in my 22 years of working at WUR – and that I am always considerate, take time to talk to people, have a good sense of humour and am cheerful with clients. Who knows, maybe there’s still a chance of going up a scale.
I’ve had several different jobs in the years that I have been working for WUR. First I became a cleaner in the technical areas, through a temping agency. But after 18 months of that I became a handyman on the campus with my own van. I could see myself doing that until I retired, but when they had to make cuts, I was made redundant because they only wanted to keep qualified people. Through my old boss, I then became a caretaker at De Dreijen and in Orion, but those university buildings were too busy for me. Fortunately, the same sort of job I’d been doing became available and I have been doing this for five years now. I’ll keep on doing it until I retire, I really enjoy it.’
