From Portugal via Germany to the Netherlands

Joaquim Manuel Pereira Monteiro is doing well! The 63-year-old has been working at DPL for over 10 years and has experienced a lot. In the first 5 years, he delivered reliable work as a fitter in 10 different customer companies. Since 2017, he has been working as a mill fitter at a coal-fired power plant near Rotterdam.

He enjoys his work and clearly feels at home in the team. Managing Director Jörg Paas visited him on the construction site to mark his anniversary and looked back with him:

"Filippo recruited me back then"says the Portuguese about his Italian friend and long-time colleague, who now works with him on the construction site. "We were both unhappy at another temporary employment agency and Filippo was the first to switch to DPL in 2012 and convinced me to do the same a few weeks later."

After working as a self-employed locksmith in Portugal, Manuel came to Germany in 1980 and initially failed to gain a foothold in his actual job. He changed employers several times and worked as a bricklayer in construction for a while before starting out as a locksmith at DPL.

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"I was impressed by the family atmosphere at DPL right from the start. The two managing directors, Daniel and Jörg, are in personal contact with the employees all the time and I've met some colleagues again and again on the various construction sites and made friends,"says Manuel, explaining his satisfaction with DPL. "I can rely on DPL, especially when there are problems on the construction site. Even if it gets noisy, I know that we'll find a solution."

Manuel is a passionate mechanic and his eyes light up when he talks about his favorite tasks at the power plant: "When we repair the huge coal mills with heavy tools, weld with armored wire or cut new threads for M24 bolts, that's when I have the most fun! We enjoy the trust of our clients at the power plant and I can fully rely on my team at DPL. Then we don't have any stress at work, even under time pressure, but know exactly what needs to be done."

Together with his colleague Filippo, he is the age president of the group and has dozens of stories from his work assignments. He advises young professionals: "Find a reliable temporary employment agency and gain experience until you know what you like best and what you can do best. During this time, you will also make invaluable contacts for your future career." And maybe even friends for life, like Manuel.