About Margot Kromhout
Margot Kromhout joined Vattenfall as an International Trainee in 2015 and is now Construction Manager on the Wieringermeer onshore wind farm 70km north of Amsterdam. She studied Industrial Design Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands before embarking on a MSc in Sustainable Energy Technology.
“When I was studying for my master’s degree I won a student competition run by employers including Nuon/Vattenfall called Best Graduates. My prize was a site visit to the Pen y Cymoedd wind farm being built in Wales. Seeing a project close-up and how hands-on the team were made a big impression on me.
Open and sharing culture
It seemed a really open and sharing culture. The project manager was extremely busy but he took time out to talk to me about progress and all the issues on site. I went on to join Vattenfall as an international trainee, initially working with the offshore construction team. That gave me the opportunity to get involved in many different aspects of projects and to really understand the industry.
I later moved into onshore wind and now work on the Wieringermeer project, one of the most high-profile in Vattenfall.
The right balance
It’s a high-pressure role but you learn how to balance things and to set priorities. The opportunity for flexible working within Vattenfall really helps with that and means your work can fit in with your own personal circumstances. And it’s great to really feel the support from colleagues around you.
Away from work I just love being outdoors, where it’s biking, hiking or running. We’ve recently bought a house and I enjoy spending time in the garden. There’s no schedule, no budget to stick to and no time pressure so it’s a real contrast to my day job!”