Above-ground Vocational School reaches milestone: 500th participant moves on to permanent position
Robert Obaseki, a 49-year-old man of Nigerian descent who speaks fluent Dutch, has completed an impressive trajectory at WerkvoorHeerlen (WvH) towards employment with Alpheios, a subsidiary of Vebego. He is the 500th participant who successfully moves on from the Bovengrondse Vakschool to permanent employment via a development trajectory.
Robert started his career in landscaping. After an intensive development program of 23 months, he was seconded to Alpheios. His secondment period was a success and resulted in an employment contract in December 2024. Robert currently works full-time as a warehouse employee, where he is not only responsible for the construction of cleaning carts, but also for the maintenance of the grounds and all kinds of other activities. Robert: “It was great fun to work with my Green team in the Heerlerbaan district and to ensure that the district looked well-maintained. I really enjoyed my time with these great guys from the group. My experience as an employee at WerkvoorHeerlen and the Bovengrondse Vakschool is very positive and I appreciate the way they helped me find a new job. As a “new Dutch person” without much experience, it is not easy to get in between work-wise, so I am very grateful that they offered me this help. I now work with great pleasure at my new workplace at Alpheios. The atmosphere there is great and I am gaining a lot of new experience.”
His development coach at WerkvoorHeerlen, Dave Reinders, emphasizes that Robert was always open to opportunities and did not shy away from the transition to a permanent workplace. “Robert seized his chances and is a great example of how talent can flourish when given the right guidance,” says Reinders.
Gabriëlla Roffelsen, acting director of the Bovengrondse Vakschool, is proud of the result achieved. “We hope that his story will inspire others who want to find a new workplace through our programs to take the step and register. We are always open to a conversation to discuss the possibilities,” says Roffelsen.
Also Alderman Martin de Beer is proud of Robert and the 499 other candidates who have now found a job through the Bovengrondse Vakschool. “There are many people who cannot find a suitable job or who are not in the right place in their job. On the other hand, companies in certain sectors cannot find staff. The Bovengrondse Vakschool bridges the gap between employers and candidates. I hope that in this way we can offer many more people opportunities on the labor market.”
About the Above-Ground Vocational School
The Bovengrondse Vakschool offers an accessible learning environment for everyone in Heerlen who is looking for work and wants to learn a trade. Participants can choose from three different development spheres: Care work, Service work or Professional work. Each sphere offers work experience and training that is tailored to the specific needs of the regional labor market. The combination of work experience, guidance and practical training ensures that participants develop the right skills, can get started faster and are better prepared for a stable work future.
In this way, the BVS, initiated in 2021 by the municipality of Heerlen and Werk voor Heerlen, offers a solution for the gap between the requirements of employers and the competences of job seekers. Since its establishment, 500 people have been sustainably trained and placed in a new job.
More information can be found on the website of the Above-Ground Vocational School .