Naji joined the Aalberts integrated piping systems team in 2018, where he has taken on a challenging roll as Global Business Analyst. Last year in 2021 he had the opportunity to participate in the Aalberts ‘CONNECT’ development program.

“I felt honoured, appreciated and recognised for my hard work. It shows that Aalberts is willing to invest in you. And a company will only do that when they see a positive future for you,” Naji says.

“CONNECT really provided me with tools that I could use to emphasize my strengths and minimize the effects of my weaknesses. I am still in the process of trying to perfect my usage of these tools and to not resort to instinctive or previous behaviour. I really learned that it is not only about the quality of work you deliver, but also as much as how you present yourself as a person. The importance of how you present yourself and how you market your skills. The emphasis they put on that during the program still sticks to me.”

Naji’s Manager and CFO at Aalberts integrated piping systems shares his outlook on Naji’s participation in the program;

“When I asked Naji about his experiences in the CONNECT program, I felt a lot of enthusiasm. It looked like it gave him new insights about his personality, his work and the future path he wants to go. Furthermore, he felt proud to be part of this program.

We discussed the progress and the outcome of the program twice with his trainer. This helped him to become more clear and forced him to actively think about the tools given to him.

It also gave me the insight to share more with Naji to further involve him in the things I do in my job. I expect it will help him to perform his job even better.”

The part of the program Naji enjoyed the most, was the development week, where the participants spend a full week together.

“The part of this week I personally found most helpful, was the roleplaying we did with actors. That was the very first time for me. It gave me a lot of insights and tools that I could use in a real life environment. But not only in the light of personal development did I really enjoy the week, it was also fun being with other colleagues, going out for dinner together and seeing each other in a very different setting.