Bianca
Warehouse
Manager
“As a woman, you currently have to be open to entering a man's world, but that is the only way change can occur.”
- Name: Bianca De Backer
- Age: 46
- Studies: Mechanics-applied economics and an evening course in business management
- Function: Warehouse Manager
- Hobbies: mountain biking, renovating her house, cultural and gastronomic trips
The 46-year-old Bianca De Backer works as a Warehouse Manager at AVT. Her duties include receiving goods and performing a quality check on them. She is also responsible for supplying the warehouse and inspecting various tools.
What makes your job interesting?
I am a naturally curious person who is always open to new experiences. It is therefore important to me that my job is practically oriented and offers a lot of variety, which is certainly the case at VINCI Energies. In addition, after about six years of working at VINCI Energies, I am still learning new things and can therefore continue to develop myself. For example, various training courses are offered and thanks to one of these courses, I was able to add the annual inspection of tools to my duties. All of this makes it possible to keep my job exciting and interesting, which is perfect for me as I am always looking for new challenges.
Do you sometimes feel like you stand out as a woman in the tech industry?
I am mostly surrounded by men in the workplace. In fact, I have only one female colleague, with whom I am not in touch on a daily basis. Nevertheless, I notice that I have a somewhat different relationship with her than with the rest of my colleagues: it is more structured. My male colleagues, on the other hand, are more nonchalant. For instance, at first I was sometimes not informed when someone came to deliver or pick something up. In the meantime, the communication between us has become fluent and we take the time to really listen to each other. Moreover, mechanics has always interested me, so I definitely feel at home at VINCI Energies. The work atmosphere is good and I really like my male colleagues. As a woman, you do currently still have to be open to entering a man’s world; however, that is the only way to change the situation in the technical sector. Those who don’t try, miss their chance.
What initiatives is VINCI Energies undertaking to attract more women?
At VINCI Energies, they give everyone a chance. It was immediately clear upon my application that no distinction is made between men and women. This is just as true in the workplace. I am always treated as a valuable colleague by both representatives and colleagues, without any prejudice. VINCI Energies is thus strongly committed to equality, but other relevant themes are also addressed. For example, the company is very environmentally conscious and regularly supports charities.
