Pierre Hempe
I’m one of the people who left the company, only to turn around and come back again, and wholeheartedly embrace the company. As IT DevOps Engineer in Corporate IT, I helped automate technical processes and select suitable platforms. DevOps is an approach in IT that aims to improve collaboration between software developers and IT operations staff, to implement and use software faster and more reliably. When I worked on myMilk, the digital platform for farmers, I learned about new systems, platforms and people. All that sparked my interest in cloud systems. I spent another three years developing and running myMilk, and after that I wanted to build on what I had learned. I got the chance to join an IT consultancy where I could get to know what it’s like to be a consultant and the kind of challenges they face. I wanted more experience and to explore that whole new world, so I left DMK. As a Senior DevOps Expert at the consultancy, I was involved in customer projects where cloud architectures were needed, and new DevOps concepts introduced. My work included developing concepts for new, cloud-based applications and also testing and adapting current systems. A significant part of my work also involved working with customers as a DevOps engineer. The experience I gained working on myMilk really helped a lot.
“I wanted to discover this other world and have new experiences.”
And yet at some point I was drawn back to my former employer. Although constantly facing new customers and environments was always exciting, the frequent changes meant that I was unable to continuously improve or develop systems. In my previous post, I had always had a close relationship with the systems I was responsible for, which always motivated me to further improve and develop them. As a consultant for external systems, I didn’t have that motivation as I was often only deployed for specific tasks. I had kept in touch with DMK the whole time, too, regularly meeting up with my former colleagues and sharing our experiences. I learned new things about myself. That, and the chance to fully use my abilities in a redefined post at DMK, made me decide to come back to DMK.
The prospect of realizing my ideas and visions in a familiar environment with greater scope for creativity was a decisive factor in what made me leave consulting. I returned to DMK after about six months. In my original position, I was able to build on my previous experience with modern systems such as myMilk, but now I can also design and test new concepts, just like when I was at the consultancy. At DMK, I appreciate being closely connected to the systems I work with and feeling responsible for them. Thanks to the corporate culture, the teamwork is really good and it’s a supportive environment where I can keep developing my skills and strengths. My time in consulting was very valuable. It had a profound impact on me, changing my view of the world of work. It helped me to better understand my priorities and what motivates me. Although the consulting work provided an excellent opportunity to expand my knowledge, ultimately the long-term commitment and deeper connection to the projects I feel at DMK mattered more to me.
Sven Hashagen
Iwork at the Edewecht site as a milk tanker driver in the milk collection department, and I appreciate my job now more than ever. I started in Edewecht in April 2018. There are two shifts there, a day and night shift. The day shift starts at 6 in the morning, the night shift starts at 6 pm, and there’s a pre-departure check before you leave. We collect the milk from the farmers and clean the tanks. Once you complete your route, you take the milk to the dairy. The milk is checked for inhibitors and the pH value before being put into tanks.
“I missed the sense of togetherness we have at DMK.”
I always enjoyed the job, but at some point, I felt I needed a more regular rhythm. In August 2020, I moved to a bakery wholesaler as a selfemployed driver. My working hours were more regular, I was off on most public holidays and that was really good. The downside was the order situation as it fluctuated a lot. Financially, that’s difficult and also makes it hard when it comes to timing and planning when you’re selfemployed. I wanted to go back to DMK after only five months. I missed working as a full time milk tanker driver. I missed the team and sense of togetherness we have at DMK. You never feel like you’re alone in the company, you’re constantly in contact with others. And the schedule means I can at least organize my free time better.
