Danny Dokman’s career began in 2007 outside on construction sites. In the years that followed, he became broadly deployable: he worked with the concrete and grout pump and moved from the shovel to become an operator on the foundation machine. Eventually, he continued to grow into the role of junior project manager. A step he had not foreseen himself, but one that says a lot about his own development and about the opportunities Vroom Betonbouw offers its employees.
Danny had already worked at Vroom from 2007 to 2014. After that, he left for another company, but it turned out not to be a good match. “The mentality there didn’t suit me,” he explains. After another period at a different foundation company, he returned to Vroom in early 2022. “It immediately felt familiar again, and I was able to pick up the thread easily here. I was hired as an operator on the foundation machine. At first, I did exactly what I came back for: driving piles. But when my Hitachi KH125PD could no longer be used due to age and environmental requirements, I was repeatedly assigned elsewhere as a substitute. That constant switching was the reason I had left the previous time. I didn’t want to leave again, because Vroom suits me and I was otherwise enjoying my work. So I brought it up with my supervisor.”
Offhand remark
During that conversation, Danny casually mentioned that he might as well want to become a project manager. “It wasn’t meant seriously, but it was taken seriously.” The remark was passed on to the office, where they saw potential in him. “After that came discussions, an assessment, and an onboarding plan. I started an onboarding program in mid-October last year, shadowing project managers and working across different departments in the office. This past February, I signed my contract as a junior project manager.”
Text continues below the photos
Understanding
The transition was significant. Danny came from the field and, like many colleagues in execution roles, had a certain perception of the office. “I always thought that money is earned on the construction site and that the office costs money, but that image quickly changed. I now see how much work is required before a project actually becomes an assignment: documents, measurements, declarations, permit notifications, planning, regulations, and coordination with clients—the work never stops. In fact, everyone should spend a few days in the office to adjust their view.” This insight helps Danny better understand both worlds. Outside, it sometimes seems as if a project is simply accepted and carried out. Inside, he sees how often documents are missing, how often information has to be returned, and how much time it takes before a project can truly begin. “Collecting documents is actually quite a headache,” is his current experience. “I bring my knowledge and experience from the field into my new role in the office. When the guys on the construction site have a problem, I understand it better. I know the people, I know what it’s like on a construction site, and I notice that colleagues communicate openly with me.”
From physical to mental
The work as a project manager is completely different from his previous job on the foundation machine. “It’s not physically demanding, but it is mentally demanding. Outside, I could leave my work on the construction site; now I tend to take it home in my head. At first, everything seems important, but as I gain more experience, I’m learning to set priorities. In the beginning, it was simply dealing with whatever came my way. That’s how I learned in practice, with support from the team around me. We really do the work together. I have a great colleague in Dick Reijnders—he is a very experienced project manager, and I can always consult or brainstorm with him. And if you have a well-founded argument for doing something differently, people will always listen. By now, I’ve found a way of working that suits me well. There’s plenty of room to do things in your own way.”
Career growth opportunities
Danny’s career shows that growth opportunities at Vroom are not just empty promises. “I’m not the only one who has moved from outside to inside, and many employees also grow within the field. You can start under the crane and end up in the office—I’m proof of that. Of course, you have to have it in you and be willing to go for it. But if you really want it, put your shoulders to the wheel, and Vroom sees potential in you, they will always think along with you. That mentality is exactly why I came back. Of course, this new role took some getting used to in the beginning, but by now I feel fully at home, I’m managing great projects in the south of the Netherlands, and I have the freedom to do my work in my own way. The option to return to the construction site is still there, and although I love that work too, my future lies here. Not a single day goes by without me enjoying going to work!”
