Bram Ehren, superintendent and contractor at VDR Bouwgroep, is transforming a Deventer building into apartments. The great thing: those apprentices are going to live there themselves!
On the Dapperstraat in Deventer, a 1947 building that previously served as a store, workshop, office and living space is being transformed into seventeen modern and sustainable apartments. I speak to Bram at the workshop
Bram, what's going on here!
"We are in the process of a major rebuilding/renovation and are partly expanding the existing building with new construction. It will be seventeen apartments ranging from 40 to 80 m². Until recently, the building was used as a large shop/practice for foot care with an associated workshop where orthopedic soles and shoes were made. It included office space, and there were some residential units upstairs. Originally, it was a block of five adjoining properties that housed stores cum residential units. It's not extremely large, but it's a fairly complex project. Nice to do."
What is special about this project?
"Different things, for example that we do this in-house. We build a lot of distribution centers, but that doesn't include all facets of the trade. If we want to attract young people, it's important that they can do their training with us. And then we have to be able to offer them all the activities. Think of raising a gutter, carpentering a dormer, taking out a window frame and so on. That's why we purchased this project. Here the young people can learn all aspects of the trade, from foundation to finishing."
Offering housing will surely help with that ...
"Yes, we do this to distinguish ourselves from other construction companies. Something like this can certainly help. This project is called Learn, Work, Live, and the way it looks now, three apprentices will live there. The other fourteen are all linked to our company through via. It can also be a daughter of a friend of a colleague; as long as it is through a warm contact. We can make a lot of people happy this way."
Who do you have working here?
"These are various vocational apprentices who are following the course for Construction Worker of the Future, a partnership between Bouwmensen Deventer, ROC Aventus / Technicampus and us: VDR BouwTalent. There are also lateral entrants. They used to do other work, but want to learn the trade. Most of them are a bit older, which has the advantage that they have a driving license. If it suits them, they get a company bus so that they can help on other VDR projects. Besides those apprentices, there are also experienced craftsmen at work, and we are occasionally assisted by hirers."
VDR BouwTalent, what is that?
"VDR BouwTalent is the in-house training company that VDR Bouwgroep set up about five years ago, primarily to stimulate young recruits to the company. This is succeeding quite well; for example, there are now several 16- and 17-year-old apprentices walking along. We try to deploy them as much as possible in the Stedendriehoek region (Deventer - Apeldoorn - Zutphen) so that they do not have to travel too far. We offer them varied work and good guidance and We hope to be able to bind them to us after their training. The best thing, of course, would be for these young guys to become permanent colleagues with whom we can work together for years to come."
What is your job here?
"As a foreman, I'm involved in everything and I'm mostly busy with all kinds of arrangements. I'm always planning about four days ahead in terms of supplies, planning, and work preparation. I recently started having support one day a week here on Dapperstraat from a boy who has just finished his college degree. The other days he is on other projects. In my role as learning master, I supervise the students in the work here on site, but I also make sure they do their tests, that they hand in their papers on time, make drawings, and you name it. If time permits, I help carpenter myself, but I don't really get around to that on this project."
What about sustainability here?
"We are making the entire building gas-free and there will be heat pumps everywhere. Where new construction is concerned, we are conforming to the Buildings Decree. As for the renovation, we are going to do what we can. That means pre-walls, bringing the insulation up to standard, new roofing, new glazing, new window frames ... it's quite extensive. We hope to have some of the new residents living here by Christmas. But that depends on how smoothly we can go through the various phases."
Are there any other special features?
"The structure at the front left has a zinc cladding. You don't come across that very often. The zinc was delivered here in strips and the assembly is purely manual work. A great opportunity for the boys to experience how that works."
What is it like for the boys who are going to live here to work here?
"Extraordinary of course! They talk about it from time to time, work hard and are very involved. One of the boys has set his sights on the place where we are now sitting talking. That used to be the office space that belonged to the store; it's still a mess now as you can see. Work is proceeding in four phases, and this space is not yet up for grabs. The 'future occupant' is very curious to see what it will look like, though. That's nice to notice."
And is it different for you?
"No, in terms of feeling it works the same for me as a project for a customer. It is true that we can switch faster because this is an in-house project. I only have to consult internally and then we can make quick decisions. That's nice."
After completion, you move on to another project. Too bad?
"Well, that's how it goes, and of course it's also fun to be working on something different all the time. But fair is fair, this is indeed something special. I wonder what it will be like when our boys actually live there. I have already arranged with them that I will come by for coffee or a beer. That seems like a lot of fun. Who knows, I might have to pick them up in the future to drive with them to the construction site. Because they too move on to other projects and so I keep running into them."
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