New talents at Group Monument: Young school leavers have their say

At Group Monument, preserving historical heritage is not only a profession, but also a shared passion. In autumn 2024, we welcomed a group of young school leavers who started their careers with us, each with their own background and ambitions. Their first experiences paint a picture of personal growth and professional challenge within our company.

We talked about their search for a first job and their first weeks in the workplace with Beye Doens, Assistant Site Manager Joinery at Monument Hainaut, Bertus Quatacker, Assistant Site Manager at Monument Goedleven, Louis Verstraete, Calculator at Monument Vandekerckhove and Maud Ducasteele, Work Planner at Monument Vandekerckhove.

You each had your own journey and search for this first job.
How did you end up at Group Monument?

Maud and Bertus were triggered by the working environment during their internships or holiday jobs. ‘During my internship, my interest in renovation and restoration only got stronger, so I decided to apply,’ says Maud. ‘From day one, I immediately felt the warm, family atmosphere again that I had already noticed during my internship.’
Bertus immediately confirms: ‘True, after my internship and holiday job it was a logical choice for me to apply for a job at Group Monument!’

Beye also concurs. ‘Because of my background in Wood & Building and my Applied Architecture studies, I was enormously attracted by Group Monument's realised projects. Surely it is fantastic to be able to contribute your bit to these beautiful projects, where the buildings can shine again and be preserved for generations to come.’

For Louis, his trajectory looked different. During his search for a challenging and varied job, he bumped into our stands at the VTK job fair in Ghent and in Leuven. In addition, Louis also took part in the competition to win an M-day. The innocent hand drew his name, giving him the chance to visit the stone-cutting plant in Zottegem and some shipyards in Bruges as a student. ‘This day really increased my interest in the renovation sector. This day, in addition to the positive stories from a friend who had already done a holiday job at Group Monument, was the reason to choose Group Monument for a first job.’

You have been working in your first job for a few weeks now. How have you experienced this?

Beye: ‘During my first weeks it was obviously a bit of a search in the new working environment, but I was warmly welcomed and I am well supported. If I have questions or problems, I always know who to contact. The atmosphere within our team is also really very good and fortunately it's already possible to laugh sometimes.’

Bertus nods in agreement: ‘Colleagues are always ready to help and explain. Fortunately, because there is a lot involved in the shipyard! ‘The shipyard should be a place you look forward to going to’, this I think is important to carry as a motto every day!’
‘The first week was a bit overwhelming for me: lots of new people and names, combined with a lot of explanations about my job,’ Louis recalls. ‘Fortunately, the problem of new people could already be partly solved by the fact that I was able to join the team buiding in Pairi Daiza after week 1. This gave me the chance to get to know a lot of people better in a fun and sociable setting. The timing of the team building was very convenient for me personally!’
‘The great thing about the job is also that you get to places you don't normally just visit. Admiring the sunrise from the roof of the Vooruit in Ghent is not given to everyone. I enjoy every mo(nu)ment!’ winks Beye enthusiastically.
‘In addition, the combination of desk work and yard work provides variety in the job.’

Maud adds: ‘I am grateful to work on a beautiful project maf immediately, and am surprised myself what I have already been able to see and experience in this short time. It makes me curious about what the future will bring here!’

Thank you for the fun and nice chat! Good luck in your bright future within Group Monument!