Most eighteen-year-olds are busy in September with a part-time job or the start of a new school year. Joep Hubers from Vianen is packing his bags for Shanghai. There, he will be representing the Netherlands at WorldSkills, the world championship for skilled tradespeople. A milestone that began with a simple trait: even as a child, he wanted to know exactly how things worked.
That has never really changed.
As a child, Joep literally grew up amongst the cables. His father works in electrical engineering and technical components were always within easy reach at home. Where others saw toys, Joep saw possibilities. “I always used to watch my father at work,” he says. At secondary school, he realised once and for all that electrical engineering was the right path for him. Not because anyone told him so, but because he found it energising.
That curiosity led him to ROC Nijmegen. And it was that very curiosity that made him stand out.
Joep Hubers with his supervisor Michel Janssen (left to right)
Curiosity as a driving force
Tutors recognised his talent. Not just because he was good, but above all because he always wanted to go one step further. “He needed more of a challenge,” explains Michel Janssen, a tutor at ROC Nijmegen. So came the question that set everything in motion: would you like to take part in Skills Heroes, the vocational competitions for MBO students? Joep said yes, without knowing exactly what he was getting himself into.
A few competitions later, he suddenly found himself at the top of the podium. Gold. And a ticket to the WorldSkills final in Shanghai in the Building Electrical Technician category. He is also being coached by Erik Beldman on behalf of WorldSkills.
More than just cables and sockets
Anyone who thinks that electrical engineering is mainly about pulling cables and plugging in sockets is mistaken. Competitions such as WorldSkills involve much more than that. Participants build a complete installation for the built environment and programme KNX and LOGO systems into it so that everything works together flawlessly. Smart lighting, automation, motor controls: it’s all incorporated into the competition task.
“Many people find that surprising,” says Joep. “Programming is also part of it.”
Perhaps that is precisely why his profession is becoming so important. Homes, offices and businesses are becoming increasingly smart. Technology is playing a greater role in our daily lives. Behind all these innovations are skilled professionals who understand how technology, software and systems come together. People like Joep.
Joep during the WorldSkills Netherlands final
Photo credit: The Creators Hub – Sanne Marcellis
Calm under pressure
“I was well behind at first, but I managed to get back on track.”
That perhaps sums him up best: keeping his cool and carrying on. As for nerves? He doesn’t really know what those are. Of course, he feels a healthy sense of anticipation, but above all he’s really looking forward to it. His goal is clear: to show what he can do. Not to worry about the competition, but to focus on his own performance.
Team NL
Photo credit: The Creators Hub – Sanne Marcellis
From skilled tradesperson to role model
And whatever happens in Shanghai, his story is already a victory. Because it shows what is possible when talent is recognised, challenged and developed. Because craftsmanship is anything but old-fashioned. And because innovation doesn’t just happen in laboratories or behind computer screens, but also in workshops where young vocational students are building the technology of tomorrow.
Joep will soon be travelling to Shanghai as a participant in WorldSkills. But he represents more than just himself. He symbolises something the Lifeport region is fully committed to: talent development. For young people who are given the chance to turn their curiosity into craftsmanship. Because whether it’s smart buildings, the energy transition or digital innovation: tomorrow’s solutions begin with people who dare to learn, create and experiment.
Or, as Joep himself would probably put it:“Just go for it.”
Lifeport Human Capital Agreement
Joep’s story illustrates what the Lifeport Human Capital Agreement stands for. Under this agreement, educational institutions and businesses work together to produce well-trained professionals capable of meeting tomorrow’s challenges. By identifying talent early on, challenging young people and forging close links between education and the business world, a region is created where people can develop and businesses can continue to innovate. It is precisely technical talents such as Joep who are indispensable for the energy transition, digitalisation and the smart industry of the future. Further information on the Lifeport Human Capital Agreement can be found at: Human Capital Agreement.
