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Koenraad Goddeau: an engineer with more than one passion

10 May 2022

Technical Engineer Koenraad Goddeau has now been a permanent member of the Pauwels Consulting team for nine years. But did you know that he also has a truly fascinating hobby?

We had an interesting conversation with Koenraad about engineering, childhood dreams and zythology, so if you are curious about what zythology is, find out below!

 

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Hi, Koenraad. Perhaps you can introduce yourself to our readers?

Koenraad Goddeau: Of course. My name is Koenraad Goddeau, I’m 50 years old and I live in Gooik with my partner and three children. I’ve worked for Pauwels Consulting since 2013, and at the moment I’m a Project Engineer.

What does a Project Engineer do exactly?

Koenraad Goddeau: I have a wide range of responsibilities in construction projects, both for new-builds and for conversions: method statements, material takeoffs, tenders, site organisation and site follow-up, safety and so on.

It’s all part of my day-to-day job. I’m also setting up a team that offers supporting engineering activities: the Engineering Technical Services Team.

How did you come to work at Pauwels Consulting?

Koenraad Goddeau: After I got my degree in Electromechanics, I took a one-year specialisation course in Control Theory. After a while I had the opportunity to join an international service team in the nuclear industry. That was a really great experience! 

After that, I worked as an international Commissioning Engineer for a company specialising in dust explosion protection. That was also very interesting.

After ten years of travelling, I decided to take on a challenge that was a bit closer to home. And that’s how I entered the exciting world of engineering consulting. I’ve now been a member of the Pauwels Consulting family for nine years.

"At the 2021 World Beer Awards in London, Goyck was awarded best beer in the 'Sour/Wild Ale' category."

You also have another passion besides engineering. What do you do in your spare time?

Koenraad Goddeau:

My hobby is beer brewing. My brewery Toots has marketed three beers already. The first beer is called Toots. It was named after Belgium’s national treasure, jazz musician Toots Thielemans. It’s a beer of high fermentation with a fairly low alcohol content and a subtle citrus aroma, which we achieved through dry hopping with Nelson Sauvin hop from New Zealand.

The second beer, Goyck, is the result of my collaboration with the Lindemans brewery. It’s a 5% blended beer that’s based on both Toots and a smooth Lambic. The last beer, the Belgian AmBassadeur, is a tripel made with green, freshly picked Saaz hop from the Czech Republic, which we brew only once every two years.

How interesting. So how did you become interested in beer brewing?

Koenraad Goddeau: I actually rolled from one hobby into another. (Laughs) About twenty years ago, I opened my own pub. It was my childhood dream, and I really wanted to expand my knowledge about beer. So I took a course in zythology, which is a different name for beerology, to become a beer expert. We brewed the Belgian AmBassadeur Beer as my graduation project. I loved it so much that I signed up for a brewing course.

And it paid off because you won a major award in 2021.

Koenraad Goddeau: That’s right. Goyck was named the best beer in the Sour/Wild Ale category at the World Beer Awards 2021 in London. It was a unique experience that I’m obviously very proud of. 

What’s also great is that it’s a collaboration with the Lindemans brewery. Geert Lindemans and I are both from Gooik and he’s a close friend of mine.

Do you have any special brewing plans in the near future?

Koenraad Goddeau: We celebrated what would have been Toots Thielemans’ 100th birthday on 29 April 2022, and we’ve launched a special edition of Toots in collaboration with the Toots Thielemans Private Foundation. We added a photo of Toots to our logo on the label and the foundation is selling the beer at a wide range of events. This autumn, we’re also launching a fourth beer: Saison Robert.

Before we say goodbye, could you tell us where our readers can buy the Toots brewery beers?

Koenraad Goddeau: Firstly, we have our own website and webstore: www.toots.be. Goyck is also available in the Lindemans brewery’s webstore. And of course, you can also find our beers at local specialised beer retailers.

I’m looking forward to tasting them! Thank you for this lovely chat, and good luck with the Toots brewery and your work at Pauwels Consulting, of course.

Would you like to drink a nice glass of Toots, Goyck or Ambassador? Quickly order your favorite at www.toots.be.

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News

Tailor-made talent development: The Pauwels Consulting Training Programs

22 Apr 2022

Finding talented employees for technical and technological bottleneck professions is not easy. That is why at Pauwels Consulting we consciously focus on talent development and competence training.

We do this by means of Training Programs, tailor-made for our consultants and our clients. From now on, we do not search feverishly for the perfect match between consultants and projects – we create that match by training and coaching the most suitable consultants in a goal-oriented way.

We caught up with Koen De Borle, our new Training Program Manager, and asked him about the advantages of the Pauwels Consulting Training Program for customers and consultants.

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Koen, you recently made a switch within Pauwels Consulting. You are now the very first Training Program Manager. Congratulations! Can you tell us more about your new role? 

Koen De Borle: Thank you! My new role is an exciting combination of new challenges and acquired insights in the consulting world. Previously, I worked as a Recruiter and Account Manager in the Engineering Unit. Now I am focusing on talent development and managing our Training Programs, through which we as a company aim to meet the changing needs and trends in our industry.

On the one hand, we see a scarcity of qualified personnel to fill the needs of our business partners in a timely manner. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find candidates who have all the required skills, and who are quickly and fully available. On the other hand, we see the need for consultants to develop skills they currently lack.

Our Training Programs provide a solution for both parties. In an adapted service model, we now develop custom learning solutions for young & high potentials. This enables us to prepare them for specific projects in a targeted way. A win-win situation for our consultants and our clients.

"We constantly monitor our consultants and actively encourage them to continuously develop their talents so that we can ensure that 'perfect fit.' "

What exactly are these ‘custom learning solutions’? 

Koen: Our Training Programs are custom programs in which we optimally gear the knowledge, expertise and skills of our consultants to the needs of our clients. The duration of these programs can vary between a few months and 2 years. During this time, we guide our trainee consultants with a team of coaches, trainers, mentors and experts.

We have been stimulating active learning and talent development in our organization for some time. We have our own Pauwels Consulting Academy with seminars and webinars that our consultants are free to attend. We have also embarked on the digital road with some pilot projects in the field of e-learning. We have also been working for years with external training partners and a team of internal expert trainers.

And now we are literally going a step further. In our Training Programs we constantly follow up on our consultants and actively encourage them to develop their talents. In this way we can continue to guarantee the perfect fit with new projects.

Koen De Borle, Training Program Manager at Pauwels Consulting

That sounds interesting! What are the main benefits of the new Training Programs for the customer? 

Koen: Our new Training Programs enable us to prepare our consultants for new projects in a targeted way. So we no longer have to look for the perfect white ravens; we find suitable consultants and prepare them for their next projects.

Our clients get consultants who match their projects almost perfectly in terms of skills, knowledge and mindset, now and in the future. That is a strong added value at a time when the newspapers are full of the war on talent, and literally everyone is having a hard time finding suitable employees.

Because we have a strong network of consultants and can quickly set up Training Programs, we can quickly help our customers meet urgent needs. At the same time, we can also provide a good match for the long term because our clients have a direct say in the development of our consultant(s) in their teams.

"Our clients no longer have to search for the perfect candidate for their projects. You often can't find those anyway. We look for a good match, and we create the perfect fit through individual training and personal guidance from our consultants."

What skills are taught? 

Koen: Attitude is key, skills can be trained. At Pauwels Consulting we are completely convinced of that. Our recruiters therefore screen and qualify new candidates primarily based on their DNA. It has to match the DNA of Pauwels Consulting and the DNA and values of our clients. If we find such a high potential, we start up a Training Program.

We focus on 2 types of skills: knowledge and professional skills that need to be acquired to be able to do the job optimally, and soft skills that enable a seamless collaboration with the client’s team.

These professional skills, by the way, are constantly changing. After all, the current technological revolution means that our customers have to adapt even faster to an increasingly complex reality. Digitization, internet of things, AI, robotization and other developments constantly require new knowledge and skills from employees.

In such a changing environment, human skills are also becoming increasingly important. Emotional intelligence, modern communication and collaboration skills, proactivity, dealing with change and new digital tools, data and project handling… These are just a few key skills we can make a difference with. We ensure that our consultants are an optimal fit for our clients, in the short and long term.

Barbara De Greve, Account Manager Engineering at Pauwels Consulting

Sounds good! You’ve already indicated it a bit, but what are the benefits of the Training Programs for consultants? 

Koen: Our consultants receive in-depth coaching, training and mentoring with a strong focus on talent development. In this way they acquire skills that are currently scarce on the market. Here you can think of technical skills such as IT development, process validation and CSV, design engineering, prototyping, automation and project management, but also soft skills such as stress resistance, resilience, communication and collaboration.

Because every consultant is different, we work towards individual learning goals. We provide personal guidance and test the acquired knowledge and skills in modern and demanding settings by working together with professionals, peers and fellow trainees.

Young potentials get the chance to develop their talents through a tailor-made program, and high potentials can also further develop their career and gain additional knowledge and experience. At Pauwels Consulting, the growth and talent development of our consultants is more central than ever! This creates a win-win-win for our consultants, our clients and Pauwels Consulting as a company.

"We screen candidates to check whether their DNA matches that of Pauwels Consulting and the DNA and values of our clients. If that click is there, we make sure that our people's talent is developed further. Attitude is key, skills can be trained.”

You mention young and high potentials. Who exactly qualifies for the Training Program?  

Koen: We focus for these programs on candidates who want to develop further or transform themselves within a particular expertise. These can be people of 25, 37 or 44 years of age. Age is not a deal breaker with us. We are looking for consultants who want to build on their level of knowledge at leading companies and give their best.

Some tips for interested candidates: curiosity and the ability to learn quickly will be decisive selection criteria, as will perseverance and a positive mindset. We screen for the skills that are key to success today: emotional intelligence, collaborative skills and the ability to handle change. If candidates have the right attitude, we can further develop the right skills with our Training Programs.

That’s all completely clear, Koen! Thank you for this interview and good luck with the roll-out of the Training Programs within Pauwels Consulting!

Maarten De Soete, participant Training Program

At Pauwels Consulting we are proud of our newest service that meets the scarcity in the candidate market and the development needs of our consultants.

Would you like to participate in a Pauwels Consulting Training Program? Check out our webpage, discover the benefits and contact us today to develop your talents.

Are you interested in discussing the benefits for you as a business partner? Contact our Training Program Manager Koen De Borle via the form below.

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Pauwels Blog

4 sportive tips to be a top-class consultant

17 May 2020
While writing this blog post, my legs are still tingling from the physical endurance at Mallorca. It involved over twenty-five hours of cycling, running and swimming during one single week: this is a holiday as well! Since this year, I am more eager than ever before to realise the most important sportive challenge in my life: the Ironman in Bolton. It got me thinking: how could this affect my career as a consultant?

Since 2008 I have been working as a consultant. It is a professional field in which the top-class sports mentality is also extremely visible. The urge to perform in an excellent manner is a natural attitude for most people, not necessarily also being ‘sportive’ in the literal sense of the word.

This is the third year in which I participate in triathlons. To prepare myself, I regularly train with top-class athletes. Following athletes close-by and seeing how they work to achieve top-class performances is a very special experience. After all, top-class athletes are a special breed: they are obsessed with their sport and always searching for ways to improve.

Even though sports and consultancy may appear to be totally different at first glance, they have more in common than one would imagine. The work climate for example is the same in both worlds: nothing comes cheap, you will be judged on the basis of your results and the real challenge is the road you take to reach your ultimate objective.

Consultancy, as I have experienced in the last decade, is the equivalent of top-class sports indeed. The proper mentality is useful and necessary, for the athlete as well as for the consultant. This is why I would like to discuss the following in my blog post:

I hope these will inspire you to achieve record-breaking performances during all your upcoming projects and challenges!

4 reasons why consultancy is the equivalent of top-class sports

1.   Teamwork

Team sport beholds the concept of cooperation between team members being crucial to achieving the aimed result. The individual athlete also often depends on a group of people. The team of a top-class athlete comprises a coach, a physiotherapist, a sports physician, a psychologist, a dietician or other experts.

A top-class consultant also values the team with whom he cooperates. He knows that to realise the assignment successfully, he depends on the team members and will, therefore, treat them with respect.

Eager to create a top-class sports mentality?

Show your appreciation for your colleagues. Cooperation is crucial to achieving the presupposed objectives. A mail to motivate someone, a compliment or a small gesture of appreciation? It works! Moreover, team members are the showcase for your future. They work or have worked with you and know you aim for gold! In other words: your team members are the best ambassadors you will ever have for future projects.

2.   Competence to adapt

During the run-up to the Olympic Games in Rio, many athletes trained in a specific room to be able to adapt to the humid and warm climate. During the sports season, top-class tennis players literally travel the world: from Melbourne to Paris, from New York to Dubai, handling many jet lags. Different foods, a different language, different facilities. The environment changes, the athlete adapts.

A top-class consultant also knows how to quickly integrate into a company. For a consultant, a new assignment is a new challenge and, most of all, a new opportunity to share experiences and acquire knowledge.

Eager to create a top-class sports mentality?

Closely follow new trends within your professional field. Whether it involves new technology or a recently published management technique, it is always good to discuss news, changes and innovations with your team members. An experienced consultant can also rely upon accrued experiences, acquired while working for previous clients, but he also knows that each company has different procedures. Most of the time, it is the consultant who adapts to the new working environment, not the other way around.

3.   Training

For an athlete, a competition represents the final objective of a training period. However, this will be based on a good deal of blood, sweat and tears. Thanks to the training period, the athlete can improve his skills. Eden Hazard, Usain Bolt or Lewis Hamilton? Each day, they follow a meticulous training plan to improve.

Time and again, top-class consultants also do all within their power to improve their knowledge and skills. The learn on the job each day. They regularly participate in specific training sessions and also share the knowledge they acquired with others. Team spirit, remember?

Eager to create a top-class sports mentality?

Dare to invest in your own career. I know top-class athletes who plan a training abroad or who buy an extremely expensive high-pressure tent using their own funds. Regularly include training or refresher training in your planning if you wish to grow. Knowledge increases your market value and offers more opportunities and challenging projects in the long run!

4.   Marginal gains

In sports, the concept ‘marginal gains’ was first introduced by Dave Brailsford, manager of the Sky cycling team. He integrated a new approach to thinking within the British cycling racing by stating that details, no matter how negligible, could mean the difference between winning and losing. All details which could improve the performances should thus be actively studied.

A company eager to become a top-class player is also in need of continuous improvement. Consultants play an active role in this process. They acquired experience and knowledge at competitive organizations and all contribute to the optimisation of a piece of the corporate puzzle, each in their own manner.

Eager to create a top-class sports mentality?

As a consultant, always show the ‘change principle’. Propose improvements to your client, no matter how negligible they may seem. A time savings of thirty seconds per day may have no significant influence on your activity. However, if all hundred other employees can profit from this same time savings, this could save the company at least fifty minutes each day…

Conclusion: 4 tips for top-class consultants

Now that you are familiar with the similarities, it should not be surprising that consultants can also be top-class performers after office hours. Vice versa, top-class athletes are also perfectly ideal to be part of the world of consultancy. To be a consultant is to ensure you get the best out of yourself, during and after office hours. Consultancy is the equivalent of top-class sports.

All set to dig deep and achieve the maximum from your ‘discipline’?

  • Value team spirit and your team members.
  • Be open to change and innovation and act flexible.
  • Always be well-prepared, do not hesitate to learn and invest in your own development.
  • Show the ‘change principle’ and aim for marginal gains for yourself, your clients and your projects. Small changes could make a world of difference.

Good luck!

Questions or suggestions?

Do you have any questions after having read this blog post? Contact us via mail or via telephone (+32 9 324 70 80). Our consultants would be pleased to assist you in reaching your objectives.

Tijs Billemon is Business Coach at Pauwels Consulting. He has many years of experience in recruiting and coaching consultants within the fields of IT, life sciences and engineering. As an athlete who is intensely involved in his sports, he is now preparing for his first Ironman.

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Application tips

How to define your dream job in 3 easy steps.

20 Jan 2020
Are your looking for a job? Or are you looking for a better job? Then why not aim for your dream job? In this article you discover how you can find a job that suits your distinct strengths and ambitions.

What does your dream job look like?

Most job seekers look for a job that is in line with their education and experience. Unfortunately finding a job this way is getting increasingly difficult. The job market currently demands more flexibility from job seekers.

In order to find a good job these days, it is very important to know in advance what kind of job you are looking for. Being clear but flexible about your ambitions will help you greatly in your quest for a new and better job.

3 Important questions

There are many ways to define your dream job. In this article, we will help you define your dream job based on your own distinct strengths and interests. We will answer the following questions:

  • What do you want from your job?
  • What are your strengths?
  • What does the market need?

If you answer these questions, prioritize the answers and look for their point of convergence, you will have a good indication of your dream job. This will enable you to start your job hunt with a sharp focus and a bigger chance of success.

Identify your strengths to find your dream job - Pauwels Consulting Job Application Academy

1. What do you want from your job?

Interestingly, most people draw a clear line between work and hobbies. But why would you wait until work is over to do the things you really like? Have you ever wondered what you would do for a living if you had the choice?

Action: Answer the following questions realistically and with an open mind. Think outside the borders of your current job or your logical career path. Don’t overthink your answers and let your thoughts go.

  • When was the last time that you enjoyed what you were doing, at work or otherwise?
  • What were you doing and why did it make you happy?
  • Where do your thoughts go when you should actually work?
  • What would your rather do all day? What are you really passionate about?

Action: Now think about your ideal work conditions. How would you like to work? Answer the following questions realistically and with an open mind.

  • Physical work, intellectual work or a combination of both?
    Do you prefer physical work, intellectual work or do you like a combination of both? All answers are good but if you have a clear preference it will make your job hunt easier and more efficient.
  • Self-employed or employee?
    The self-employed may enjoy more freedom than employees, but they also have to take care of their own administration and marketing. Employees typically enjoy more peace of mind, a secure income and social securities such as paid holidays.
  • Full-time or part-time?
    How many hours can and are you willing to work per week? When part-time work is not negotiable, flexible working hours can still be on the table. Be as transparent as possible about your expectations in every stage of your job hunt.
  • Home office or elsewhere?
    New technologies make working from home easier than ever. What would you prefer? Would you rather work from home, from an office, from a flexible workspace or would you prefer a combination of these workspaces?
  • One location or many locations?
    Depending on your job you can work at one location, you can work ‘on the road’ or you can work at different locations, e.g. on temporary assignments with different clients. What do you prefer?
  • One or more assignments at a time?
    Would you rather focus on one specific assignment or do you prefer working on multiple assignments at a time? The first option may bring more peace of mind while the second option may make work (even) more challenging.
  • Teamwork or working on your own?
    Some people are better at collaborating than others. That’s OK. It is important however to what you are better at. Are you a team player or do you perform better on your own?
  • SMB or multinational?
    The working atmosphere at small or medium-sized businesses (SMBs) is often more personal than with large companies. As a result, you may have a bigger influence on procedures and results if you work in an SMB. Large companies may offer more possibilities to climb up the ladder, but they may have stricter hierarchies and procedures.
  • To manage or not to manage?
    Do you fancy a management position? Mind that not everyone can or wants to deal with big responsibilities. And as a manager or director, you often depend on external factors that are out of your control. This can cause extra work and stress.

Evidently this list with questions about your ideal work conditions is not exhaustive, but answering these questions can help you to determine your ideal work conditions for sure. Think about other relevant choices and write your answers down.

Action: If all went well you now have two lists with keywords regarding the content and the work conditions of your dream job. Since it may be hard to find a job that matches all these conditions, now choose the five conditions that are most important to you.

we help you grow your career

2. What are your strengths?

Most young children are exceptionally creative. This is because most children are encouraged by their parents, family and friends to show their talents. This encouragement is a confidence boost that stimulates children to improve and show their talents to the world.

At school however, we learn how others (can) think about us. We learn about our weaknesses and how to overcome them. Extra classes, extra exercises… It often seems that school puts more emphasis on overcoming your weaknesses than on improving and using our strengths.

Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses!

In the last few years however the so-called “strengths movement” tries to convince us to focus on our strengths instead of our weaknesses. The rationale behind this idea is that it is more rewarding to use and improve your talents than to improve what you are not good at.

‘Now, discover your strengths’, the bestselling book from Marcus Buckingham is a good illustration of the strengths movement. The book is based on a 25-year study of over two million people and it comes with an online Strengthsfinder test that helps you discover your distinct talents and strengths. If you find a job where you need to combine these particular strengths to succeed, your chances of success and joy at work will seriously increase.

Action: Make a list of your strengths. Think about the feedback you get from others. When do you get positive feedback? Probably when you showcase one of your talents. Try to identify and describe your talents as precise and concise as possible.

Optional: Ask your family, friends and (if possible) colleagues to make similar lists of your strengths. The more complete the picture the better you will be able to define the strengths that distinguish you from other job seekers.

Optional: It may take a little bit of extra time and perhaps a minor investment, but try to take a personality test to identify your strengths. The above-mentioned book with its Strengthsfinder test is a good start but there are many alternatives.

Action: If you complete the actions above you should have one or more lists with your distinct talents and strengths. Have a good look at these lists and try to find and mark your 5 most distinct talents.

3. What does the market need?

The current job market is quite challenging, but the market is still driven by supply and demand. Follow up with the news and visit job boards to learn which sectors have job openings and what kind of jobs are needed most.

If ‘your’ sector is not doing well, try investigating other sectors that may benefit from your knowledge and expertise. Or if there are many layoffs in your area, try to look out for job openings in nearby areas before other job seekers do.

Also, keep a close eye on the shortage occupation lists in your country. You can find the shortage occupation lists for Belgium here. At this moment Belgian employers are particularly looking for nurses, teachers, engineers, technicians and operators.

Action: Find out which sectors can benefit from your knowledge and expertise. Try broadening your scope beyond your own sector and geographical area. Select the five sectors and areas you want to work in.

Defining your dream job

If you did all of the above, you have 3 lists. These lists describe::

  • Your 5 most important priorities regarding the content of your ideal job;
  • Your 5 most distinct talents;
  • The 5 sectors and geographical areas you would like to work in.

Now put these lists together and look for relationships. Focus on your own ambitions and talents and try to match them with the current demands of the job market. Preferably not the other way around. For example, if you just obtained your nursing degree but if you would rather not work full-time in the same hospital, project sourcing or home nursing may be a better fit for you.

Or if you have a degree in engineering or linguistics and if you want more flexibility to obtain a better work-life balance, you can often start as a teacher right away and obtain your teaching degree through evening classes.

Should you consider taking the leap to self-employment, consider whether the market needs your product or service or how you can create that demand. And determine whether you can take care (or have someone to take care) of your administration and marketing. These extra tasks are as important as your actual job!

Time to find your dream job!

In this article, we discussed how you can define your dream job by mapping your own strengths and ambitions to the needs of the job market. This step may seem straightforward, but in reality, many people don’t take enough time to consider what they really want to do for a living.

In our next article, we will share tips to improve your written communication when applying for a job. A good cv, a personal cover letter, a clear e-mail and a healthy web presence can seriously improve your odds of being invited for a job interview.

Let the game begin!

The 7 rules of the game of consultancy

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Maxime van Belle Content Marketeer
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Pauwels people

Working as a Senior Project Engineer: Patrik Ingels

04 Dec 2019
In our series Pauwels People, our colleagues introduce themselves and talk about how they experience working at Pauwels Consulting and with our clients. Today, we are going to get acquainted with Patrik Ingels, Senior Project Engineer at Pauwels Consulting.

Hello Patrik, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Patrik: Of course! My name is Patrik Ingels. I’m 45, married and I have two children, aged 14 and 16.

What do you do in your spare time?

Patrik: Well, in my spare time, I like restoring classic cars. As a child, I was very passionate about cars, especially classic cars. And now I own an old beetle and a Russian sidecar, but I like to help other enthusiasts as well.

What did you study?

Patrik: I studied Electromechanical Engineering at Thomas More in Geel.

Why exactly did you choose these studies?

Patrik: I didn’t know right away what I wanted to study, but I always had had a healthy interest in technology. Eventually, I based my choice on that interest.

What is your professional background?

Patrik: I have been employed at a large pharmaceutical company in Belgium for 20 years. I’ve held several positions in different sectors: manufacturing, engineering, quality assurance, qualification and validation. After that, I started working as a freelancer.

Why do you prefer working as a freelancer?

Patrik: I was looking for a new challenge. Part two of my career, so to speak. (Smiles) I wanted to spread my wings and explore new horizons on my own.

What are the main advantages?

Patrik: As a freelancer, you have a certain freedom and independence. I love that. You can also prevent yourself from getting “absorbed” by one company.

Are there any disadvantages as well?

Patrik: Of course! It’s quite difficult to handle all the extra administration on your own, for example.

How long have you been working as a freelancer?

Patrik: Not that long: since January 1st, 2016. I’m currently working on my first freelance assignment, actually. I had the unique opportunity to participate in a “greenfield project”. Those are still quite rare in Belgium.

How did you get in touch with Pauwels Consulting?

Patrik: I already knew some consultants and freelancers who worked for Pauwels Consulting, and I had heard good things. Eventually, I contacted Pauwels Consulting myself when I decided to start working as a freelancer.

“The executives at Pauwels Consulting are open to comments and suggestions. I think that’s a big plus.”
What was your first impression of the company?

Patrik: I got the impression that Pauwels Consulting is managed by a young team who know what they’re doing. The company also made a very efficient impression.

And does the company still live up to those expectations?

Patrik: They do, actually. The communication is swift and efficient, and projects are followed up closely. The executives at Pauwels Consulting are open to comments and suggestions as well. I think that’s a big plus.

Can you tell us a bit more about your current project?

Patrik: I am currently working as a Senior Project Engineer at a pharmaceutical company. They are building a new factory for the production of polymers, tablets and sterile forms.

What are your responsibilities during this project?

Patrik: I’m responsible for the ‘injectables’: the purchase of equipment, installation, start-up, qualification and validation. At the moment, I am also temporarily responsible for the coordination, qualification and validation of a product that will be launched soon.

What do you find interesting about this project?

Patrik: It’s a job with a lot of variety, and there are few house rules. I like that. There is room for independence and flexibility. Sometimes I help colleagues by doing things that are not really part of my job description, for example. I also like to pursue one goal with a relatively small team.

Do you learn many new things during this project?

Patrik: I do. I learn a great deal every day, especially since it’s my first work experience with hormonal products. And I’ve also improved my French, actually. (Laughs)

What kind of projects would you like to work on in the future?

Patrik: I would like to keep working as a Project Engineer. So keep doing what I’m doing now, I suppose.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers? An inspiring wisdom, quote or citation perhaps?

“Keep calm and dig in.”

Patrik: I really like that quote. It suits me.

Thank you very much for this lovely interview, Patrik. I wish you all the best for the future!

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Pauwels people

Dr Veerle Deblauwe publishes article on patent search

19 Sep 2018
When one of our colleagues does something special, all of us at Pauwels Consulting are proud. Dr Veerle Deblauwe, an expert in patent search, recently published an article following the Search Matters conference in The Hague. So, high time for a chat with this special woman, to find out who she is and what she does. Welcome to the wonderful world of patent search.
Veerle, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Veerle: My name is Veerle Deblauwe. I’ve been researching and analysing patents and other scientific information, something known as patent search, for more than fifteen years. In addition, I’m a member of the Belgian Patent Information User Group and the Werkgroep Octrooien Nederland.

Mainly, my experience has been with patents and scientific research for the polymer chemical industry, the construction industry (such as roof tiles, slates, plasterboard panels and fibre cement cladding) and the pharmaceutical industry. I’ve been working as a consultant at Johnson & Johnson for five years, the last year of which was via Pauwels Consulting.

You must have an extensive academic background, presumably?

Veerle: I studied at the University of Leuven, where I completed both a master’s degree and a doctorate in organic and macromolecular chemistry.

Can you explain to the layman what patent search is?

Veerle: A patent describes an invention in detail and grants the owner the exclusive right to produce and market this invention. In essence, patent search means checking if a patent has already been published for a specific invention.

It’s an important discipline because a patent is only granted for truly new or innovative inventions. With every new product or process, a check also has to be carried out to verify that there is no infringement of existing patents belonging to others. In jargon, this is called a ‘freedom to operate search’.

In addition to a number of other sources, I mainly search in patent literature, the collection of patent documents. That is a major challenge, as you have to know your way around existing databases very well. That’s not a simple job, because they are constantly evolving, and you really have to keep your eye on the ball.

Can you tell us more about your current job?

Veerle: I work permanently for Johnson & Johnson worldwide, for scientists, researchers and patent attorneys. I work in a small team of two, the chemical patent searchers, which only consists of colleague George Chiu from the United States and myself.

It’s very important for us to complete our assignments within deadlines with a critical attitude and scientific curiosity. At the same time, however, we have to be flexible enough to deal with urgent requests that arise in the meantime and need to be handled quickly.

Is it true that an article of yours was published recently?

Veerle: Yes. On 23 to 25 April 2018, the Search Matters conference returned to The Hague. This international conference is organised every year, alternating between The Hague and Munich. It was organised by the European Patent Office, which appointed Sofia Pires of the University of Alicante and me as rapporteurs. The result appeared in the September edition of World Patent Information, a magazine specialising in my field of work.

It was fascinating to be able to attend the conference from this perspective. By the way, I’ll also be attending the Patent Information Conference in Brussels in November, another conference organised by the European Patent Office.

Is it possible to combine these conference visits with your current tasks at Johnson & Johnson?

Veerle: Yes, no problem at all. After all, these conferences are relatively short. At Search Matters, for example, I was only present for two days.

Obviously, I have to check my e-mails in the evening and I have to do a bit of extra work before and afterward. And if I know in advance that something important is coming up, I let the right people know in advance that it will be difficult to contact me.

Great to hear that you can combine all these things, Veerle. Congratulations once again on your publication and thanks for the interesting interview!

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News

Pauwels Consulting and P.I.T.-Advisor join forces

19 Dec 2016
Pauwels Consulting and P.I.T.-Advisor, two successful Belgian consulting companies, have agreed to merge their operations. As of today, P.I.T.-Advisor will be operating as an independent unit within the Pauwels Consulting Group.
Marc De Roeck, co-founder and commercial manager of P.I.T. Advisor, will remain responsible for the further development of P.I.T.-Advisor’s activities. Johan Mertens, co-founder and managing director of P.I.T. Advisor will enjoy a well-deserved retirement.
We had a conversation with Bert Pauwels, founder and Managing Director of Pauwels Consulting and Johan Mertens and Marc De Roeck of P.I.T.-Advisor.
Gentlemen, congratulations on this deal! Can you briefly introduce yourselves?

Marc: Sure. I’m Marc De Roeck, Commercial Engineer by training. I started my career as an auditor and analyst. Over the years, I’ve held various commercial positions and, in 1999, Johan and I founded P.I.T.-Advisor.

Johan: I’m Johan Mertens, 63 and veteran in the IT world (laughs). I have held several IT roles during my career and in 1999, I took the plunge into entrepreneurship and started my own company, P.I.T. Advisor.

Bert: I’m Bert Pauwels, the youngest of us three (laughs). I have always been an entrepreneur at heart and I founded Pauwels Consulting in 1999. At first, I still took on projects myself, but since 2004, I’m fully engaged in the daily management of the company.

Speaking of which, can you briefly introduce P.I.T. Advisor and Pauwels Consulting?

Johan: P.I.T. Advisor is an IT services company from Antwerp. We have 80 fantastic consultants and we deliver integrated ERP applications and software and hardware tailored to our clients’ specific needs.

Marc: In addition, we have increasingly focused on project sourcing in the past 10 years. We support our customers in a wide variety of development and integration projects.

Bert: Pauwels Consulting specializes in project sourcing, business process outsourcing, recruitment and projects in the field of engineering, life sciences and IT. We work for companies in Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.

Starting today, both companies will join forces. Why did you decide to work together?

Johan: Due to health reasons, I have decided to step aside this year. My hearing is increasingly deteriorating. This has started to affect my work at P.I.T.-Advisor. I made this decision with mixed feelings but I am sure it is the right decision.

Marc: I still have lots of ideas and energy to continue with P.I.T. Advisor. I see our collaboration with Pauwels Consulting as a catalyst: all of a sudden, our team is five times larger and we can now serve even more customers. This offers many benefits for our customers and excellent career opportunities for our employees.

Bert: At Pauwels Consulting, we note that companies are increasingly entrusting tasks to a smaller number of contractors. Therefore, it is important to continuously develop our services and our customer portfolio. In that regard, this collaboration with P.I.T.-Advisor came at the perfect time.

In what way Bert?

Bert: I have been following P.I.T. Advisor for a while now. The people, projects and customers of P.I.T. Advisor and Pauwels Consulting complement each other perfectly. We understand each other, but we are not competitors. That is a good starting point for a collaboration.

Marc: During our conversations, we quickly noticed that the strategy, vision and ambitions of our companies can be aligned easily. We immediately got along on a personal level as well. In such cases, you should not hesitate.

Johan: I wanted our new partner to be young, dynamic and experienced. Such partners are rare, but Bert Pauwels and Pauwels Consulting fit the profile perfectly.

At what point did you know you would join forces?

Johan: I’m a tough cookie (laughs) and we have had some lively discussions, but in the end we all came to an agreement. That’s how I know it’s going to be all right. Marc and I have a very good feeling about this collaboration.

Bert: Conversations about an acquisition or other forms of co-operation are always a bit precarious. But in the end, we quickly came to an agreement because we had the interest of both our companies in mind. Our employees and customers will benefit from this.

What are the benefits of this partnership for your clients?

Marc: In recent years, P.I.T.-Advisor has built a beautiful and diverse customer portfolio. And this customer base is complementary to that of Pauwels Consulting.

Johan: The same goes for our services and the skills and competences of our consultants. Thanks to this collaboration, we can immediately extend our services and support customers in even more fields. This is an important strategic advantage for the future.

Bert: At Pauwels Consulting, we’re increasingly focusing on Business Process Outsourcing: we are happy to take care of the management of entire departments and processes of our clients. Thanks to the strategic expansion of our workforce and our competence matrix, we can take up increasingly complex departments and projects.

And what are the benefits for the employees?

Bert: We think it’s important that our employees have clear and broad career opportunities. Thanks to this partnership, our customer base grows significantly. This means that the people in our back-office and our consultants can take on new projects, functions and responsibilities in a natural way.

Marc: We also see many opportunities for knowledge sharing. Pauwels Consulting is paying more and more attention to knowledge sharing. The Pauwels Consulting Academy is a great example. I am confident that our people actively can and want to contribute to this.

Sounds great gentlemen! Do you have a final message for our readers?

Bert: I’m really looking forward to welcoming our new colleagues from P.I.T.-Advisor. The same goes for our whole team. During previous acquisitions, the integration and cross-fertilization between colleagues always ran smoothly. I am convinced it won’t be any different this time.

Marc: I really want to start this new chapter. We have already made a beautiful journey with P.I.T.-Advisor and now we have the opportunity to accelerate our business. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Johan: I’m glad I can hand over P.I.T.-Advisor to Marc and Bert with confidence. I really enjoyed building the company and bringing it up to this point. I am also proud and grateful that the company can start a new chapter now. I’m sure this collaboration will turn out fine.

Thanks for this interview gentlemen. Congratulations again and good luck with all of your future projects.

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maxime_van_belle
Maxime van Belle Content Marketeer
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