Exchanging experiences during the training days is the most fun
At festivals, Lot Benneker always looked around with the practical curiosity of a process specialist: why is there a queue here, but not at that other place? Perfect, then, that she came into contact with NextGen just over a year ago. Her contract had already been extended twice in her first NextGen year at Beaphar, manufacturer of pet care products: 'The fact that your client not only compliments you, but actually decides: we want to extend the contract one more time - is of course fantastic.'
'I can take a look in different kitchens.'
Lot likes many different things. And choosing? Preferably not yet! After her Master's degree in Supply Chain in Tilburg, she worked briefly at Mepal and Hanos before (former) NextGen recruiter Hilde approached her on LinkedIn.
'Her message immediately appealed to me. Our first conversation was also very open: what am I looking for and what do they have to offer? Do we see a match? I was given a lot of space to think. Good, because it was important for me to choose well this time after two short jobs. As an interim professional at NextGen, I can take a look in different kitchens. Supply chain is still such a big field. I'm glad I can connect here with people who have experience in it - I'm really with like-minded people here.'
Puzzling the efficiency of production lines
There was no ideal assignment for Lot right away, but her wait was rewarded in April 2023: "I joined Beaphar here in Raalte and immediately saw: this is what I like. No hip stuff, just both feet on the ground. They had just implemented SAP - an ERP system to support the business processes - and I was allowed to assist in setting up that program. Soon people knew where to find me for other questions as well.
The experience Lot gains from her Green Belt project on one of Beaphar's production lines comes in handy: "My contract here has just been extended again. My new task: planning two production lines, both packaging lines. 'Depending on the destination country, we have a different sticker and packaging,' explains Lot. 'There are different sizes of boxes. What sequence of packaging requires the fewest possible adjustments to the machine? That's the puzzle I keep myself busy with.' The contract extension is her highlight: 'People can say they are happy with you. But the fact that they want to extend again is of course fantastic.
Personal and sensitive during training days
Lot found the first year of the Next Level program instructive and challenging. Because that personal development took some getting used to: 'Some things are very much about feelings. That is not something I learned at school, but it is very helpful. I discovered through the assessments on the first training day that cooperation is much more important to me than I thought.
'I learned that there is no one solution. Not one way to do things right. People are so different! For example, I am someone who needs a little more time to come to a response, and I have learned that I can say; can I come back to this? I am also more often aware that I have a choice in what behavior I show. Mutual trust with colleagues, for example, is very important for good work, and I now look more often at what behavior I show trust in, or how I can create trust myself.'
'You are an oil lamp'
In our Next Level club, I am the only woman and we are all pretty black and white types. Our trainer Amanda pokes through that incredibly well. When she says, 'You are an oil lamp, where is your leak? Where does your energy go?", then all those guys look at me, like: you're a woman, you understand this... But I can't do anything with that either," Lot says laughing. Fortunately Amanda explains it perfectly. Then you understand what it's all about and you notice how instructive it is to think about what gives you energy and what costs you energy. I find the exchange of personal experiences on those training days the most fun.'
Exchanging experiences during the training days is the most fun
At festivals, Lot Benneker always looked around with the practical curiosity of a process specialist: why is there a queue here, but not at that other place? Perfect, then, that she came into contact with NextGen just over a year ago. Her contract had already been extended twice in her first NextGen year at Beaphar, manufacturer of pet care products: 'The fact that your client not only compliments you, but actually decides: we want to extend the contract one more time - is of course fantastic.'
'I can take a look in different kitchens.'
Lot likes many different things. And choosing? Preferably not yet! After her Master's degree in Supply Chain in Tilburg, she worked briefly at Mepal and Hanos before (former) NextGen recruiter Hilde approached her on LinkedIn.
'Her message immediately appealed to me. Our first conversation was also very open: what am I looking for and what do they have to offer? Do we see a match? I was given a lot of space to think. Good, because it was important for me to choose well this time after two short jobs. As an interim professional at NextGen, I can take a look in different kitchens. Supply chain is still such a big field. I'm glad I can connect here with people who have experience in it - I'm really with like-minded people here.'
Puzzling the efficiency of production lines
There was no ideal assignment for Lot right away, but her wait was rewarded in April 2023: "I joined Beaphar here in Raalte and immediately saw: this is what I like. No hip stuff, just both feet on the ground. They had just implemented SAP - an ERP system to support the business processes - and I was allowed to assist in setting up that program. Soon people knew where to find me for other questions as well.
The experience Lot gains from her Green Belt project on one of Beaphar's production lines comes in handy: "My contract here has just been extended again. My new task: planning two production lines, both packaging lines. 'Depending on the destination country, we have a different sticker and packaging,' explains Lot. 'There are different sizes of boxes. What sequence of packaging requires the fewest possible adjustments to the machine? That's the puzzle I keep myself busy with.' The contract extension is her highlight: 'People can say they are happy with you. But the fact that they want to extend again is of course fantastic.
Personal and sensitive during training days
Lot found the first year of the Next Level program instructive and challenging. Because that personal development took some getting used to: 'Some things are very much about feelings. That is not something I learned at school, but it is very helpful. I discovered through the assessments on the first training day that cooperation is much more important to me than I thought.
'I learned that there is no one solution. Not one way to do things right. People are so different! For example, I am someone who needs a little more time to come to a response, and I have learned that I can say; can I come back to this? I am also more often aware that I have a choice in what behavior I show. Mutual trust with colleagues, for example, is very important for good work, and I now look more often at what behavior I show trust in, or how I can create trust myself.'
'You are an oil lamp'
In our Next Level club, I am the only woman and we are all pretty black and white types. Our trainer Amanda pokes through that incredibly well. When she says, 'You are an oil lamp, where is your leak? Where does your energy go?", then all those guys look at me, like: you're a woman, you understand this... But I can't do anything with that either," Lot says laughing. Fortunately Amanda explains it perfectly. Then you understand what it's all about and you notice how instructive it is to think about what gives you energy and what costs you energy. I find the exchange of personal experiences on those training days the most fun.'
"What's next?
While Lot gets to work on her final production lines at Beaphar, she is also already looking ahead: 'I think it would be nice to work for a brand that people know, a brand that I don't have to explain. Grolsch, for example, seems great to me. But I like to be surprised: maybe NextGen will come up with something I would never think of myself!
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