All day 'acting out' and 'looking down on people'

For many people it remains a special sight, when I step into the elevator of my crane with my pink sneakers on. Because of all the attention that has been paid to women in construction lately -I have also been on television with it- I realize that apparently it is still special, to manifest yourself as a woman in construction and infra. For me, however, it is the most normal thing in the world, and frankly, it should be for everyone. My name is Jessica Bruintjes, director and marketing manager at the Ridderkerk Crane Truck Company, also a crane operator.

Our company is a family business. My grandfather, Arie Dijksman, founded the company 58 years ago. After that, the company passed into the hands of my father and mother, Erwin and Anita Bruintjes. Like many girls, I did not initially choose a career in construction and infrastructure. At school I noticed my interest in media, especially video and photography. An education in marketing and communications was therefore a logical choice. I am currently still working on my Master's degree in that. What I also noticed after havo was that I am not the type of person who could sit in an office from nine to five. Desk life would soon bore me. Since I had fond memories of working on the crane, I was allowed to go up there regularly as a child, I decided overnight that I wanted to become a crane operator. Very unusual in the construction world, and my parents frowned as well. Secretly, they thought I would be so cured of that idea. Things turned out differently. I was just 18 when I got my truck driving license, still for driver's license B. At the end of 2010, I had just finished havo and got straight into crane. Meanwhile, for 12 years I've been doing "nice outreach" and "looking down on people," in the most literal sense of the word. Recently I turned 30 and I can't imagine a more beautiful profession than crane operator.

With reaching my 30th birthday also came a piece of reflection. Where do I want to go with our family business? I want to grow it and make it better, together with my brother Arie. We want to build on the solid foundation laid by my grandfather and my parents, but in our own way. For example, we are looking at where we can make it more sustainable. To that end, we even set up a company, ECS Holland, where we electrified the first crane. Soon we are going to see what we can do with powdered hydrogen. We can do that with the knowledge that is in our company. Pioneering runs in the family and that DNA has not left me.

I was brought up on working in construction and infrastructure, but I do have a message for young people: are you faced with a career choice? Don't be pushed into office jobs, even if it seems so obvious. Spend a few days on a construction site and experience what it is like to work outside, to make something. Adjust your image of construction and infrastructure as sectors in which you only get your hands dirty. Or where women are looked at oddly. Whether you are a man or a woman, you can discover your talent in construction and infrastructure and show what you can do. That automatically earns you respect. Okay, the working hours are slightly different. Get up early and get home a little earlier than the 'office mouse'. On the other hand, construction and infrastructure offer a good job guarantee and good pay. You are also assured of continuity in your work; in our sector we never stand still. I myself am a real social media fanatic and you will see me everywhere in vlogs. However, to really know what it is, you just have to come and experience our beautiful work live.

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