Aart Hagen: Certified Air Duct Technician
On Wednesday 2 October, the first participants passed the exam Air duct technician (accelerated). A milestone in air distribution technology. The course was developed with the aim of training air duct fitters and giving them an industry-recognised diploma.
Ground-breaking courses
The courses, developed by ROVC together with industry associations Luka and Binnenklimaat Nederland, offer an efficient and practical route to a recognised diploma. In doing so, the programme responds to the increasing demand for professionals who can install and maintain indoor climate systems, which is crucial for healthy air quality in buildings.
Besides the accelerated course, there is also a normal version and a version aimed at lateral entrants. This new concept offers opportunities for many technicians within climate technology: new technicians, lateral entrants, but also seasoned specialists. The latter group in particular is large; countless technicians work for years as professionals without official recognition.
From side job to career
Aart Hagen is one of those mechanics. He has had a remarkable career of almost forty years at Van den Brink Barneveld B.V.. He started as a temporary worker and through his expertise, experience and perseverance grew into a first mechanic with a managerial role.
Trained as a forestry worker, but due to a lack of work after his military service, he ended up at Van den Brink Barneveld B.V. via a temporary employment agency. After only three months, he was indispensable. He owes much of his knowledge to a mentor, under whom he worked for 11 years. "Everything I know now, I learnt from him," Aart says proudly.
Strengthening craftsmanship
Although Aart learned the trade in practice, last year he decided to go a step further and get certified. His employer pointed him to a Luka e-learning course, but this proved difficult to combine with his full schedule. When he heard there was a classroom version coming up that lasted two days, he couldn't wait to sign up. He therefore found this classroom course to be a very positive experience. "This course is cut out for me: hands-on, with no written exam, just do it."
Never unlearned
Although Aart has many years of experience, the course still offered him new insights. "On the second course day, I was introduced to measurement and control technology, which was completely new to me," he says. A colleague supported him with this learning, and so he quickly mastered it. Aart says he wants to delve further into this subject with additional training courses.
He also discovered how much he enjoys classroom learning at ROVC. "The relaxed atmosphere and hands-on approach made me feel at ease very quickly." This ensured a successful completion of the course, which he looks back on with a good feeling. "If all goes well, all my colleagues will enter this course," he says with a smile.
A valued degree and a future in a healthy indoor environment
With his industry-recognised diploma, Aart feels he has not only grown professionally, but also appreciated. He therefore recommends the course for colleagues and others in the industry who, like him, value a hands-on approach. His experience emphasises the importance of flexible and modular training that meets the needs of professionals in the rapidly changing engineering industry.
Aart's story is one of continuous growth within a profession that is becoming increasingly important for indoor climate. Thanks to ROVC's collaboration [link to article] with Luka and Binnenklimaat Nederland, experienced fitters like Aart can now quickly and effectively undergo further training, so that the Netherlands can continue to rely on skilled professionals.
More information about the collaboration of ROVC, Luka and Binnenklimaat Nederland? Read the article on the cooperation here.
Or curious about the offer? Click here.
