HEROES 2023/2024

HEROES AT THE FRONTIER OF ENERGY, MARINE & RENEWABLES

2023/2024 ISSUE 10

Maarten de Vries, Process Operator // TAQA

Responsibility Meets Talent Matt Riding, Chief Commercial Officer // Atlas Professionals

Embarking on New Frontiers: Atlas Professionals’ Growing Global Footprint

Guillermo Sosa, Operations Manager // The Ocean CleanUp

The Ocean Cleanup’s Thriving Guatemalan Efforts Erin Coldham, Chief Development Officer // Star of the South

Winds Blow Favourably for Australia’s Star of the South HEROES

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Welcome to another iteration of our annual HEROES Magazine!

Energy, Marine & Renewables industries have a lot of moving parts. Ranging from Professionals working offshore and onshore that ensure the world can continue functioning as it is, to our Clients who strive to introduce new and exciting ways to tackle challenges our industries will always have, and from organisations that aim to provide a more sustainable way to do business to our colleagues here at Atlas Professionals who work day and night to secure the best possible solution for all our stakeholders, our industries are full of committed individuals with one goal in mind: driving progress, innovation, and sustainability for a brighter future.

We would like to think that, with our HEROES Magazine, we get a chance to honour and recognise these efforts and allow our Professionals, Clients and Colleagues to reach out to one another, tap into their expertise and learn from their experience.

As opposed to last year, we wanted to offer a more compact magazine that dives deep into all aspects of our industries, rather than a specific angle, with 14 new interviews. Within the pages of this edition, you will get a chance to find out more about how the American East Coast readies itself for energy transition, a Guatemalan effort to stop plastic pollution in bodies of water, how a program that is aimed to ensure safer way to access offshore is witnessing immense success, day to day life in one of most significant natural gas facilities in the Netherlands, some of the most exciting updates regarding the Hydrogen industry, Professionals exploring new industries, Australia’s bid to introduce Offshore Wind to their Energy portfolio, and our efforts to introduce even more sustainable business practices and a warm welcome from new Atlas Professionals offices.

We invite you to embark on this journey with us, celebrating the tireless efforts of those shaping the future of our industries, and together, we look forward to a world where sustainable practices, innovation, and collaboration define the path forward.Thank you for joining us in this celebration of HEROES! See you all next year with a brand-new HEROES magazine, Atlas Professionals

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YULIIA SYKYRYNSK Global Support, The Atlas Professionals Way

FEDDE VISSER Securing the Right Talent for TAQA

08 MATT RIDING // ATLAS PROFESSIONALS CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Embarking on New Frontiers: Atlas Professionals’ Growing Global Footprint

10 YULIIA SYKYRYNSKA // ATLAS PROFESSIONALS PERSONNEL COORDINATOR

Global Support, the Atlas Professionals Way

12 PAUL HAMPTON // ATLAS PROFESSIONALS GLOBAL BUSINESS MANAGER

Our Dedication to Subsea Industry

16 GUILLERMO SOSA // THE OCEAN CLEANUP OPERATIONS MANAGER

The Ocean Cleanup’s Thriving Guatemalan Efforts

18 KATE KNOTT // ATLAS PROFESSIONALS QHSE MANAGER

At the Frontier of Sustainability

22 FEDDE VISSER // TAQA

PRODUCTION MANAGER MIDSTREAM

Securing the Right Talent for TAQA

24 MAARTEN DE VRIES // TAQA PROCESS OPERATOR

Responsibility Meets Talent

28 NICOLE VERLINDEN

GREENHAND ROUSTABOUT

Onshore to Offshore: Where Excitement Begins

32 CHRISTOPHER “CHRIS” SORENSEN // NYC DISTRICT COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS

COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE Atlas Professionals and Local 1556 Team Up for Offshore Wind

34 TAQUIELA WRIGHT

SR. QUALITY ENGINEER

38 ROB WILLEMSE Ampelmann’s Offshore Training Programs of the Future

Contents

Keeping Up with the Pace: Tricks of Transitioning Industries

38 ROB WILLEMSE // AMPELMANN

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MANAGER

Ampelmann’s Offshore Training Programs of the Future

40 ILJA BURCEVS // AMPELMANN GANGWAY OPERATOR

From Able Seaman to Gangway Operator

44 GERWIN HAMENT // VOLTH2

HEAD OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Developing the Future of Energy with Green Hydrogen

46 ERIN COLDHAM // STAR OF THE SOUTH CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Winds Blow Favourably for Australia’s Star of the South

ING TLAS PROFESSIONALS MATT RERID A CIAL OFFICER, CHIEF COMM

Atlas Professionals’ Growing Global Footprint Energy, Marine & Renewables are multinational industries, and we are committed to being present wherever our Clients operate. This level of dedication requires us to have a presence in various business hubs where talent meets opportunity.

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As Atlas Professionals, we are keen on expanding our footing whenever we can. That is why, in 2022, we acquired a prominent player in Renewables recruitment and are opening offices in three new countries. Here is Matt Riding, Chief Commercial Officer, explaining more.

As an international recruitment company, providing borderless solutions and assisting our Clients with their goals of increasing their global mobility lies at the centre of what we believe, and as the Asia Pacific region continues to grow, Atlas Professionals’ commitment to further increasing our presence within the region keeps getting stronger as well.

Matt discusses how 2022 witnessed an important M&A for Atlas Professionals that drastically bolstered our presence within the APAC region: “Last year, we successfully acquired a prominent Renewablesfocused recruitment company specialising in the APAC region to further elevate our footing within the region. This strategic move expanded our presence into new countries, including Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, while also strengthening our positions in Taiwan and Singapore by synergizing our existing expertise with that of our new colleagues.”

Matt also mentions another exciting expansion into Malaysia, a promising market full of opportunities: “We are also looking towards introducing our new Atlas Professionals Malaysia office that will focus on Energy and Marine industries in 2024 as well to better connect with Malaysian Professionals and offer our decades worth of experience to Malaysian Clients.”

This expansion is also aligned with Matt’s expectations regarding where the entire Energy, Marine & Renewables industries are headed - emphasis on local talent and navigating tough legal necessities: “I expect developing and emerging markets to increasingly emphasise reliance on local talent and implement varied tax, insurance, and other compliance related measures both for Professionals and Clients. This is why it is important for us to be present within these nations so we can have a finger on the pulse in terms of what is required from us and what is best for our Professionals and Clients, offering compliant solutions.”

Continued Investments in Europe Today, Atlas Professionals is a global recruitment company that serves its Clients wherever they operate with more than 20 offices across the globe and many more business partnerships - but it all started in Europe 41 years ago, and we are committed to tapping into the Continent’s potential even more.

As Europe’s bid to be even more energy independent continues, the need to be present in as many hubs as we can is of paramount importance, and this is something Matt agrees as well: “Last year, Atlas Professionals

held various recruitment events across Europe with many of our colleagues joining from various offices - all the way from Riga to Aberdeen - and met with Professionals who are ready and able to work across Europe.

In addition to recurring events in UK and the Netherlands, we also held recruitment events in several countries for the first time such as Croatia and Poland.”

Aligned with our vision to be present wherever we are needed, Atlas Professionals is currently setting up two additional European hubs, in Poland and Lithuania, to further support our Polish and Lithuanian Professionals and Clients in a more localised manner.

A Career That Mirrors Atlas Professionals’ Footprint Of course, the main reason why Matt is the person to discuss these developments is his exceptional career within the industry and his position within the company: “I have been with Atlas Professionals since 2016. When I joined, I was based in Australia, but since then I moved across Aberdeen, Dubai, Houston and now to the Netherlands to work in various roles and within various departments. In some ways, my career resembles Atlas Professionals’ global footprint,” Matt adds with a smile.

Last year, due to his extensive knowledge of the global Marine, Energy & Renewables industries, Matt was promoted to the position of Chief Commercial Officer from his previous title, Group Commercial Director - and we get a chance to ask what this means for him and for Atlas Professionals: “When I moved to the Netherlands at the start of 2021, I was responsible for about half of all commercial activities Atlas Professionals embarked on, but from November 2021, I slowly assumed responsibility for the remaining commercial activities. allowing me to fulfill this new role without any turbulence.”

Today, Matt leads Atlas Professionals’ expansion efforts and assesses how we can further support our Clients in their business endeavours by providing localised support and follow them around the world to assist them whenever and wherever they need us.

Atlas Professionals keeps growing and will continue being part of the increasingly global world Energy, Marine & Renewables. For any business inquiries or to get in touch with one of our offices, please visit our website to explore national contact details.

To keep in touch with Atlas Professionals and to find out more about our upcoming events, news about our various offices and opportunities Professionals can apply to, please feel free to follow our LinkedIn page by simply scanning the following barcode.

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NSKA SIONALS Y R Y K Y S A II L U Y , ATLAS PROFES COORDINATOR PERSONNEL

Global Support, the Atlas Professionals Way Atlas Professionals is in the business of recruitment - and this endeavour involves connecting with both Professionals and Clients on a continuing basis.

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Atlas Professionals is in the business of recruitment - and our business involves connecting with both Professionals, and Clients, on a continuous basis. We are here to ensure the demands of our stakeholders are met while providing an exceptional service, this is only possible if we have a similarly exceptional Personnel Coordination (PC) team. To explore how we manage to achieve this level of satisfaction and to provide some details about day-to-day activities of our colleagues, we sit down with Yuliia Sykyrynska, Personnel Coordinator, and discuss her career as well as a recent business trip to Brazil.

When it comes to understanding how we build trust with our stakeholders, Yuliia presents herself as an excellent person to talk to as she has been around for a while as she has been with Atlas Professionals since 2019 but she knew she wanted to work in the Offshore industry for quite some time: “I started working 3 years ago, when I was still studying, but I knew for some time I wanted to work in the Offshore business as I think it has a really bright future ahead of it.”

Global Opportunities in a Global Company As a company that operates on a global basis - just like some of our Clients - Atlas Professionals is able to secure the right person for the right Client without thinking borders. Thus, at the end of 2022, Yuliia traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to visit one of her Clients and meet the Professionals: “My trip to Brazil for a Client was my first business trip - I acted as an Administrative Operations Support and now am acting as a Personnel Coordinator, thanks to Atlas Professionals and ability to develop my career in a way I like it. This means that my concentration has changed slightly, from Clients to Professionals, but not so much as we always consider other parties too.”

Of course, though, life has surprises, and Yuliia is ready to tackle them: “I would say my role as Personnel Coordinator is finding solutions to problems of both parties. If they are both satisfied, it means we are doing our job right.

There will always be some delays, some Professionals will need to resign immediately, and we will need to find a suitable candidate to cover their shifts, and arrange all of the required documents in due time - immediate challenges like this always present themselves, but this is where experience comes in.”

This level of dedication always requires a personal touch and Yuliia mentions how working right beside a Client in Brazil allowed her to connect with all stakeholders even more efficiently: “This time, I got a chance to get in touch with Clients and our Professional in person, asked if there were any questions they had in mind, any issues at all, to understand if they had any problems. We always have to improve our efforts if they have any questions

or issues - that is why the main points regarding our cooperation needed to be discussed, and solutions were to be found if needed. It was a fun and productive task overall,” Yuliia adds with a smile.

Key to Success: Being Available 24/7 Just like other professions, offshore life has some tasks that require attention 24/7, but perhaps on an even more demanding level, as failing these duties can have serious repercussions. That is why Atlas Professionals is always ready to assist our Clients and Professionals whenever they need our presence.

And how does Yuliia’s team manage this? She details the thought process that goes into it: “We need to think in advance about how we should approach our relationship with Clients and Professionals. We need to approach and arrange logistics on a high level, and to ensure everyone can go from point A to point B on time. We do this by calling our Professionals before significant dates like crew changes to ask if their certificates are in place, if everything is in order. We use software tailored for these purposes too, like Atlas4Sales, and have developed internal procedures as well. As I said, we always think in advance to experience less issues. Like we claim in our values - we know our business & we are pro-active.”

Yuliia also mentions how she or someone from her team is always on night duty to ensure inquiries from Professionals can be solved without any delays: “During night times, if you are not hearing from Professionals, it means that we have done a good enough job during the day,” she adds with a smile.

Due to the nature of our job, all our colleagues get a chance have a chat with Professionals from various industries, cultures and countries. One thing that was constantly reported the same was their appraisal of how Atlas Professionals handles communication. The terms “like a family”, “instant reply” and “willingness to help” come up a lot. We ask Yuliia why this is the case, and how she - and her team - manages to leave such a great impression on everyone: “I think our pace is the key. We always try and solve the issues as fast as possible and we are really well oriented team.

Each person in our team is ready to assist the other members - teamwork is key to our success!”

Atlas Professionals takes pride in its fulfilling, inclusive and engaging work environment where each colleague gets a chance to advance their career in a way they would like to. If you want to discover opportunities with Atlas Professionals and pursue a career in the bustling Energy, Marine & Renewables industries, please scan this QR code to explore our vacancies!

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PTON LAS PROFESSIONALS PAUL HINAESM S MANAGER, AT GLOBAL BUS

Our Dedication to Subsea Industry Subsea operations are critical to the success of our industries, whether to install and maintain energy producing platforms such as rigs and turbines, or to connect the world via cables, bridges or tunnels.

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Subsea operations are critical to the success of our industries, whether to install and maintain energy producing platforms such as rigs and turbines, or to connect the world via cables, bridges or tunnels.

Thanks to this level of importance, it is able to support incredible number of opportunities and jobs for both our Professionals and Clients. Here is Paul Hampton, Global Business Manager, to explore the world of Subsea and discuss how Atlas Professionals is involved.

In our industries, it pays to have experience and know-how to ensure you can always be on top of what has been going on across the spectrum, and for Paul, this has exactly been the case as he has been active within the industry for a long, long time: “Oh, I’ve been in the industry for decades. Half of my blood is sea water,” Paul adds with a smile. “I got my education in the area, all the way up to my PhD, so I’ve been sailing the waters for a long time. Now, as Business Development Manager at Atlas Professionals, I continue to connect with Clients and Professionals alike. I am heavily involved with Survey, ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicles), AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles), Offshore Renewables Subsea Cables and Oil & Gas - as they all align well with my experience and skill sets.”

Paul also mentions that while industries like Seismic, Hydrographic Survey present great opportunities and are essential for the industry - they are often not the first career paths that come to mind when someone mentions Offshore.

“Working in the industry, I can report that we need a lot more people in it, by the thousands at least. There’s a large, and widening, gap of experienced offshore personnel. We really need to ensure that more people understand that a huge resource of a very wide range of skills goes into installing, for instance, a rig or wind turbine, followed by operations and maintenance, and that much of this work is done subsea. Even today, when I go to faculties and schools to tell the students about the offshore industry, where the pay is good, you are surrounded by constant and varying opportunities whilst potentially working in the awesome marine environment- they get shocked.”

When discussing specifics of Atlas Professionals’ involvement with the Subsea Survey industry, Paul mentions the wonderful work our colleagues in UK and Spain have been doing: “Subsea Survey is an industry that most Atlas Professionals offices touch in some way, but the recruitment work is done in Newquay for Hydrographic Survey and Vic for Seismic Survey. We have teams with vast amounts of experience within the industry and know it very well.”

A Look into the ROV Industry The Subsea industry offers many opportunities but is also one that is going through some serious change, with the ROV industry being a perfect example of the current landscape.

“While ROV jobs are here to stay, more and more companies have been

exploring remote operations and AUV systems for numerous reasons,” Paul explains, “as this way of working can be more efficient, environmentally has less impact, and allows for far greater flexibility. However, if the operation needs ROVs, then Clients will be using ROVs! AUVs are like any other automated vehicle - the machine is similar, but the way we interact with it can be significantly different.”

“Professionals working in this industry have a great deal of transferable skills,” Paul continues. “If you have experience with a specific Subsea profession, chances are you will have an understanding of what it takes to handle another. This will also be ensured by our colleagues who will go through your competencies and experience to understand what is possible and what is not, so that you can have access to the most optimal training you might need.”

Atlas Professionals understands the current trends and continues to support our Professionals if an opportunity to transition to a new career presents itself. Understanding the need for personal and professional development to fulfil these positions, Atlas Professionals cooperates with their Clients to ensure willing and skilled Professionals experienced within the Subsea industry can secure the training and support they need to continue their career development.

Oceanology: Where Subsea Industry Meets Just like most industries, the offshore world requires a platform for Professionals, Clients and other stakeholders across the globe to come together and explore the current status, and the future of the sector - and Oceanology International serves just this purpose.

“I’d like to refer to Oceanology as a forum of sorts,” adds Paul “as it really is not just a conference but an area where stakeholders of our industry come together to share their insight and experience. It really is an event that moves our industry forward. Atlas Professionals has been attending it for decades now, with a designated spot and a stand with numerous colleagues across the world flying in just for the event - and we will continue to do so in 2024 as well.”

Just like many other niches we operate in; Atlas Professionals is able to secure positions ranging from permanent to temporary and white to blue collar that best serve your interests, experience and qualifications. You can visit our website to find out more about the extent of services we can offer, apply and save jobs we have with various Clients across the globe or join the Atlas Professionals talent pool for our colleagues to reach out whenever possible.

To check out our page dedicated to Oceanology 2024 please feel free to scan the QR code - see you there!

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SA O S O M R E L IL U G CEAN CLEANUP O E H T , R E G A N MA OPERATIONS

The Ocean Cleanup’s Thriving Guatemalan Efforts The Ocean Cleanup continues to helm dozens of operations across the globe with Atlas Professionals working closely with the initiative to ensure they can have access to the talent they need anywhere they go.

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Did you know that over 12 million tonnes of plastic waste find its way into our oceans every single year? It is clear that aquatic pollution will continue to plague our oceans with an increasing intensity if we refuse to do anything about it. Thankfully, some are going out of their way to ensure that the existing pollution can be tackled while the new generation can be a bit more conscious about the delicate ecosystem our oceans are home to. The Ocean Cleanup ranks amongst the most influential ones.

Founded in 2013 by the Dutch inventor Boyan Slat at the age of 18, The Ocean Cleanup has grown into the influential company it is today by constantly cooperating with national and international bodies to tackle their aquatic pollution dilemmas. Today, the company has a strong global footprint and has access to a robust team of engineers, researchers, scientists, computational modelers, and supporting roles. These skilled colleagues are working daily to rid the world’s oceans of plastic with Guillermo Sosa, Operations Manager, supporting the efforts to clean Guatemala’s rivers.

Hope to See a Better World Guillermo has studied to be a Mechanical Engineer and earned himself a master’s degree in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies, which allowed him to continue his professional life in that direction for more than 7 years. He explains how his education and experience allowed him to nurture a love for the environment and pursue a career in that area: “As a mechanical engineer in Guatemala, I witnessed numerous environmentally harmful practices and methods and thanks to my education, I realised there are things that could have been done way differently. Since then, I’ve been dedicated to learning about various technologies to make a positive impact on both my country’s environment and the global one, and that is why The Ocean Cleanup is a fantastic place to be.”

While many jobs can indeed provide nice perks and a promising career path, not every organisation can afford the opportunity to contribute to a meaningful cause on top of these benefits - and for Guillermo, that is what makes his job a special one: “Working with The Ocean Cleanup not only fills me with hope for a better world but also demonstrates how a large organisation can commit substantial resources to address environmental issues - even in distant countries.”

It appears that luck is on Guillermo's side when it comes to his position within The Ocean Cleanup as he appears to be content with his day to day tasks as well: "My role involves more than just performing tasks; it requires me to think critically, generate innovative ideas, and enhance solutions in the context of our work in my country. The dynamic nature of my job, which includes a blend of meetings, office work, and field assignments, is the comprehensive experience that an engineer seeks. With this role, I get a chance to contribute to the society, do what I love, and get to develop myself professionally!"

Finding What You Seek Atlas Professionals understands the needs of our industries and how valuable it is to have a presence in multiple jurisdictions and have access to a vast range of skilled Professionals like Guillermo to be able to offer the best possible position for the best possible candidate. Thus, we constantly keep in touch with our Professionals to ensure the service they are receiving is up to their standards, and we are more than happy that this has been the case with Guillermo as well: “I am really happy with my relationship with Atlas Professionals. People that engage with are always asking the right questions and it always feels like they are looking out for my best interest. The level of connection and attention I have been receiving is really impressive too, as well as being able to access information about how to navigate tax, insurance and legal procedures.”

Before we sign off, we ask Guillermo what he expects from our industries, and what more can be done. We are then greeted with an insightful response: “I always seek something to learn so now I’m looking to specialize me in Materials Engineering, and being involved in this project let me see through the reality and what this type of waste processes needs. My hope for the future is that different organisations keep showing to the world what they can do to change everything for the better while the international community keeps pursuing a real change - not necessarily environmentally, but trough engineering as well!”

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OTT SSIONALS KATE KEN E R, ATLAS PROF QHSE MANAG

At the Frontier of Sustainability As Atlas Professionals, we aim to be at the frontier of everything related to Energy, Marine & Renewables industries - and it is high time we position ourselves at the frontier of developments surrounding ESG policies as well.

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Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) refers to a set of criteria that investors, businesses, and organisations use to evaluate the sustainability and ethical impact of an investment or business operation.

• The "E" in ESG represents environmental factors, which assess how a company manages its impact on the planet, • The "S" stands for social factors, which encompass a company’s relationships with its stakeholders, • The "G" signifies governance, focusing on the quality of a company’s leadership, transparency, and ethical decision-making processes.

Given its broad description, it’s understandable how ESG may have different meanings for different organisations. For Atlas Professionals, a global recruitment company that operates across many jurisdictions and within many communities, the scope of the concept has been considered by the newly set up ESG Project team, with Stakeholders consulted on key topics in the form of a so-called Double Materiality Assessment. Here is Kate Knott, QHSE Manager of Atlas Professionals and an influential colleague who made our inaugural Sustainability Report a reality, on what we were working on, what awaits us in the future, and more.

Tangible Change A report is nothing without the data and insight it provides. Atlas Professionals has already started on their path to sustainability by implementing tangible change while reducing our environmental impact. Here are some of the angles we have been covering: Environment • Capturing and measuring our Scope 1 & Scope 2 CO2 emissions.

• Reduction of paper use by introduction of paperless processes and committing to meeting the EU Municipal Recycling Targets of 60% by 2030 and setting targets for increased carbon reduction, including switching to Electric, Hybrid company lease vehicles by 2025.

• Changing our way of providing energy into our offices by opting for 100% use of renewable energy in operations where we have control over the consumption.

• Maintaining Atlas Professionals’ ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System certification.

• Aiming to achieve Net Zero Carbon emissions from Atlas Professionals’ operations by 2030.

• Changing our scope of work by committing to an Energy Transition plan by aiming for a > 50% turnover in Renewables industry by 2030.

Social • Promoting our Zero Harm Safety initiative, maintaining a total recordable incident rate of 0.47 (Meeting the KPI of <1.0 for past 10+ years).

• Maintaining Atlas Professionals’ ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health & Safety Certification.

• Implementing robust Employee & Talent Development Programs that involve Training & Development of Staff, Performance Management, namely the successful Atlas Professionals Greenhand Program, Atlas Professionals Leadership Development Program.

• Bolstering our Customer and Employee feedback and engagement.

• Committing to our Diversity & Inclusion policies, such as more transparent D&I rules, Equal Pay and committing to being an equal opportunities employer to improve our inclusive employer branding.

Governance • Implementing updated compliance, anti-corruption, fraud risk analysis, sustainable procurement & supply chain controls. Further bolstering our corporate risk assessment & Management protocols as well as continuously improving our cyber-security.

• Laying out transparent and efficient Code of Conduct, Whistle Blower Policy, and Fraud Rules.

• Maintaining Atlas Professionals’ ISO 9001:2015 Quality management system certification.

• Continue to engage with local communities for various industry related purposes, such as training courses or clean up days and ensuring no modern slavery of human rights violations in our supply chains or in any part of our business occurs.

Our Sustainability Report underlines our commitment to achieving these results and more, and is the direct continuation of our previous sustainability efforts, such as achieving EcoVadis Silver qualification and securing a spot within the top performing companies across the globe.

EcoVadis is a crucial player in the global drive for sustainability and corporate responsibility. This innovative company specializes in assessing and rating businesses across various industries based on their environmental, social, and ethical practices - and that is exactly what happened with Atlas Professionals: “Assessing our sustainability standing with initiatives like EcoVadis allows us to understand how we performed, and what can we do to further improve our efforts. It is one thing to rely on plans and projections but it is important to assess if they have yielded the results we wanted them to yield as well,” Kate mentions.

Moving Forward Of course, Atlas Professionals realises sustainability and inclusion are all processes that need constant attention, and the work is never truly done. When we ask Kate how Atlas Professionals aims to ensure the work continues, she lays out some of the specific plans the company will implement in the very near future: “As we put it in one of our values: we are responsible, and we want to see our ESG investments through. That is why, moving forward, Atlas Professionals aims to progress towards baseline targets and initiatives in order to respond to material negative impact, both inward & outward, while seeking updates to our assessment and monitoring mechanisms to ensure effective reporting. Of course,” Kate adds “we want to keep ensuring that future sustainability reporting can continue providing reliable, relevant and verifiable information to our stakeholders.

To find out more about how Atlas Professionals aims to uphold these promises and develop further initiatives to ensure we can better engage with our stakeholders, please feel free to check out the Sustainability Report itself, as well as other news and developments surrounding our ESG efforts, by scanning the QR code.

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Bring OUT THE BEST You IN

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SER AM, TAQA FEDDE MVAIS E NAGER MIDSTR PRODUCTION

Securing the Right Talent for TAQA As Atlas Professionals, we are committed to providing the best possible recruitment solutions for both our Professionals and our Clients and Fedde Visser, Production Manager Midstream at TAQA in the Netherlands has seen both sides of what we can do.

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Although the usage of natural gas might decline over the coming years as Renewable Energy becomes more widespread, it will remain necessary in the Energy supply in the coming decades as Renewable Energy sources such as solar and wind power are not always available. Gas is a good energy source to provide ’back-up’ energy - only if it is readily available when need. This is where gas storage companies like TAQA come into play.

Fedde Visser, Production Manager Midstream at TAQA in the Netherlands, explains: “TAQA is the operator and co-owner of two underground gas storage facilities in Alkmaar, the Netherlands: the Peak Gas Installation and Gas Storage Bergermeer. Gas Storage Bergermeer is the largest freely accessible gas storage in Western Europe and has a storage capacity of 4.3 billion m³. This is equivalent to the average annual gas demand of 4.5 million Dutch households. Within these facilities, high-calorific gas is stored - gas that is used by industry and the electricity sector.”

As Fedde greets us into TAQA’s head office in the Netherlands, we get to reminisce a time where he was working as a contractor: “My relationship with Atlas Professionals is a long and interesting one,” he mentions.

“I started out at TAQA as an Operator 10 years ago thanks to Atlas Professionals, and now, after a series of internal promotions, I am working with Atlas Professionals to secure the talent we need for TAQA. I guess you could say that I have been on both ends of the equilibrium,” Fedde mentions with a smile.

Why he has been with TAQA for a decade? The answer is simple: “I really like working at TAQA as this is a quite large company with a modest character. The modesty comes from our relationships - I know everyone at TAQA, from engineering to country managers, making it a really enjoyable place to work. However, the company is large enough for me to meet new people and learn new things from them on a regular basis so I can keep developing myself. It is a perfect balance of both worlds!”

Importance of Transferrable Skillsets TAQA continues to employ hundreds of skilled talent across their operations in the Netherlands, and when we ask which skills they are looking for, Fedde shares some welcoming messages for all prospective Professionals: “Natural gas is an industry that allows easy transition from other industries if they have the right mindset and technical skillset to do so. Here in TAQA, we also provide training for the role as well, so we encourage anyone with an applicable background to apply for a role that aligns with their experience and qualifications.”

Fedde goes on to detail some examples when it comes to transitioning into a role in TAQA: “Those that have experience with industries like marine shipping, mechanical engineering will realise they already possess the basic skillset they need at TAQA as there are interesting, similar operations within the organisation as well. We also have both onshore and offshore positions for those eyeing to transition from one to the other.”

Successful transitions continue to be of paramount importance for an organisation as large as TAQA. Understanding which skillsets are transferable and which experiences can allow a Professional to adapt to a new work environment is a key component of a successful Professional transition - and an area where Atlas Professionals is dedicated to support its clients. Thanks to our experienced recruiters who know their way around the industry, we are able to inspect a Professional’s career and certifications and understand if they would be a good candidate to undergo the required training or not.

Right Mindset for the Right Job “Working at TAQA is not just about technical finesse,” mentions Fede.

“Personality and attitude - or soft skills - are some of the most important assets we are looking for as well. If you have the right skillset, but not exactly have the experience needed for TAQA, your attitude will allow you to be a valuable member of our team as you will have access to all the training you will need in TAQA as we offer a lot of possibilities to learn on the job.

Basically,” he adds “a perfect Operator or a Technician is someone who is willing to learn new things on a continuing basis while enjoying the sense of responsibility TAQA will grant you.”

That is where the personal approach from Atlas Professionals comes in as a great benefit according to Fedde: “It’s always a personal approach and not a ’tick in the box’ kind of exercise. Anyone can find a certain person with ticking the box requirements, but that doesn’t make them the right person to work at TAQA or to work with us. For recruitment companies, it thus may take a bit more to find the right person, but it will ensure a long-term relationship once you do.”

Atlas Professionals routinely engages with people who trust their careers with us and get to know them better while assisting their professional life along the way. This level of involvement comes especially handy when a company is looking for a Professional with the right mindset to be part of their team, and working with the same Professionals for years allows us to understand their soft skills and motivation in an unparalleled manner.

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Responsibility Meets Talent: Maarten on Being a Process Operator Maarten de Vries, Process Operator, goes into detail about his experience in Energy company TAQA, his professional journey that led him to this position and more.

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We meet with Maarten in one of TAQA’s facilities in the Netherlands, just before his shift begins, to both conduct an interview and check in if he requires any further assistance from Atlas Professionals, such as PPE. TAQA in the Netherlands is a producer of natural gas and operates two gas storage facilities. Its activities are concentrated in the Alkmaar region and on the North Sea. Worldwide, the TAQA Group is located in 11 countries and is active in the field of energy and water.

After learning Maarten is all set and ready to commence the day, we sit down to have a chat about the nature of his job, and his thoughts on working at TAQA.

performed comply with the highest standards laid out by TAQA: “Safety is essential within this profession - each day, we start things off by checking in with colleagues who worked the night shift to ensure yesterday’s shift was without any issues. Then, we head to our stations to monitor whether everything is running smoothly, efficiently, and in a safe manner.”

Offshore to Onshore

A task this important requires cooperation from all parties, adds Maarten, and the diverse crew of TAQA always allows fruitful cooperation: “We are a very diverse team with various backgrounds but with similar trainings, so you get a chance to discuss with colleagues how to do things the right way - the most efficient and safe way - and I am very content with the way we work.”

Of course, the very first question we ask is how he secured the job in the first place and how it is going so far: “I actually studied to be a building engineer and worked in roles aligning with my education for years. Then, I transitioned to the Offshore industry working as a Field Specialist for Surface Well Tests. There, I performed different roles such as Operator, Chief Operator and Supervisor, but also Data Acquisition Specialist.”

Maarten explains that initially, being a Process Operator was completely different to him as, for example, he used to work upstream and this is a more downstream position - and differences like this matter a lot in this line of work: “This was all new to me, but TAQA gave me the right training and now here I am. I used to work offshore for many years, now I am onshore and get to go home, it’s a completely different world,” adds Maarten with a smile.

Maarten seems to be really content with TAQA, but not all jobs fit all Professionals. As Atlas Professionals, we are always ready to clearly communicate what our Professionals need: “I started my Energy career 15 years ago and decided to join Atlas Professionals for a career change a couple of year back. The first position I was offered was not the perfect match for me, and after discussing this with Atlas Professionals, we managed to secure the position I am working in now. Atlas Professionals handled the communications between TAQA and I, so we knew this was going to be the right opportunity. I have been working at TAQA ever since.”

A Day in the Life of a Process Operator

Maarten is also responsible for checking the correct work permits of all (sub)contractors on the plant are in place and correct: “All Professionals who work in our facilities have work permits, and it is my job to check whether they are working in a compliant manner or not,” says Maarten.

A Job That Fits Your Life Maarten’s personal goal to be at home to spend time with his family also coincides with the fact that he works day shifts, but he also notes how some younger Professionals prefer night shifts for additional financial benefits: “As a Dayshift Process Operator I get to go back home in a timely manner, which is really important to me and to my family at this stage of my life. However, Nightshift Process Operators have other benefits, such as financial incentives, so here at TAQA, we have opportunities for Professionals with various needs and desires.”

We then get a chance to ask if he is happy with us, and how his experience with Atlas Professionals has been: “Atlas Professionals has been very fast and responsive with all of our inquiries. They are the ones who approached me with this position, and everything went really smoothly during the entire process. You can feel that they care about your professional life and are there for you in case you need any assistance regarding anything. As for the future? I want to continue developing myself and advance within the role and at TAQA. There is still so much I can learn from the team and on the job.”

A plant like TAQA’s has lot of moving parts that need to work in unison for it to be a safe workplace for Professionals and an efficient Energy hub for Europe. As such, there are mechanisms to ensure that all the work that is

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DEN IN L R E V E L O IC N ROUSTABOUT GREENHAND

Onshore to Offshore: Where Excitement Begins Offshore is known to be home to people from all walks of life with many transitioning from onshore to offshore to explore what our industries have to offer.

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As Atlas Professionals, we realise that our industries might seem a bit difficult to get into in the first place. That is why we conceptualised the Greenhand Programme to ensure prospective Professionals who are looking to have access to what they need to get in the industry can have what they need. Helmed by Atlas Professionals in Aberdeen, the Greenhand Programme has been serving those interested in going Offshore for the first time since August 2018. From that point forward, thousands of Professionals have found their way into the Offshore industry thanks to the Programme - and we are glad that Nicole Verlinden, Greenhand Roustabout, found success with it as well.

So, out of all other industries, why working Offshore in the Energy industry?

Nicole has a rather personal answer for that: “For me this was a very sentimental choice, this is like a family tradition for us as I come from a family of Marine Professionals – with me, this will be the fourth generation who will be going Offshore. So, this was an emotional choice as well as a professional one. I also know this is a bit of a more physically demanding role and I have the energy, so it will be a nice challenge as well! Still, looking back, I can’t believe this finally happened,” she adds with a large smile.

The Greenhand Programme and Benefits of Experience Nicole came across the Greenhand Programme while looking for a new, exciting opportunity to continue her professional life: “I came across the Programme by pure luck – I was just at the right place and at the right time.

I first heard about the opportunity from the Job Centre in Aberdeen. I told her this is what I wanted to do, that I wanted to be a Roustabout, and they were like “Wait here for a bit!” and before I knew it, I was being informed by how the Greenhand Programme works, what steps I can take and so forth.

Basically, everything I would need to work Offshore. So, yes, it was all pure luck, but this is how good things usually start, right?”

We then get a chance to ask Nicole if she thinks her experience in other industries played a role in her success: “Even though I had personal and professional knowledge about the industry before I enrolled, I 100% agree that any semi-relevant experience you gather up until that point can help a candidate a lot. I feel like working across several industries in several roles allowed me to rack up invaluable experience that I managed to tap into during my Greenhand Training.”

What makes Atlas Professionals stand out from other recruitment companies? For Nicole, it was communication: “The constant communication I received from Atlas Professionals was really something that made me feel more reassured. Whenever you get a question, whenever you are uncertain of something, you get a chance to contact Atlas Professionals and receive feedback within minutes, hours – it really is a gamechanger.”

Importance of Having a Genuine Interest A career move like this sure involves a lot of change – and this has also been the case for Nicole too! As someone with family roots in the industry and experience with training programmes and now as a Roustabout, Nicole confirms that she is excited for the challenges that come with her new role as well as some other perks of working Offshore: “For me it was the psychical and mental challenge the role comes with. It is also good that I will get a chance to spend two weeks with my family without any interruptions after each rotation. Oh, and a minor detail but the compensation side of things sure is nice too,” she adds with a smile.

Nicole has successfully completed the program and her training and was just about to commence her first tour the day we got a chance to have a chat with her. When we asked if she has any tips for a new generation of offshore professionals, Nicole has just one thing to say: “No matter what you do, no matter what you want to achieve, it is highly important to have a genuine interest in what you do. That is the only way to know for certain if this is something you want – and if it is, you will have a better chance of succeeding. These days, everything is so convenient too, as a lot of the material is available online as well!”

IIf you believe you have what it takes to pursue a career offshore and are eager to learn more about the steps you can take to ensure you can realize your goals, you can scan the QR code below and find out more about the Greenhand Programme itself, check the dates for upcoming intakes, and register your interest with Atlas Professionals!

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SEN RPENTERS. N E R O S ” IS R H C ER “ YORK CITY DISTRICT COUNCIL OF CA CHRISTOPNH W TATIVE FOR NE ESE COUNCIL REPR

Atlas Professionals and Dockbuilders Local 1556 Team Up for Offshore Wind in New York Expansion can mean different things to different groups. For Atlas Professionals, expansion means introducing our expertise into new markets and regions, and for the Local 1556, it is exploring new industries and finding new opportunities for its already experienced members.

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The energy sector is a vast landscape of diverse niches, each playing a crucial role in shaping our sustainable future. In this dynamic arena, collaboration between different stakeholders is key to the success of the emerging US offshore wind sector and the recent South Fork Wind Farm stands as a testament to this spirit of cooperation. One shining example of this collaboration is the partnership between Atlas Professionals and Local 1556, a union deeply rooted in the US construction industry with a membership spanning experienced divers, dock builders, timbermen, and millwrights. In this article, we delve into their exciting journey of exploring new opportunities that promise growth and progress for all involved with Christopher “Chris” Sorensen, Council Representative for New York City District Council of Carpenters.

Local 1556 boasts a rich history steeped in the tradition of dock-building and timberwork. Established to serve the needs of skilled craftsmen involved in the construction, repair, and maintenance of docks, piers, and other critical waterfront infrastructure, this union has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of maritime construction and is now paving the way for Offshore expansion of the US East Coast. Over the years, Local 1556 has been a staunch advocate for its members, negotiating fair labour agreements, championing workplace safety, and ensuring that its Professionals remains highly trained and proficient.

Key Connections Chris reminisces how he met Laura Smith, Business Manager at Atlas Professionals, and how this cooperation has led to a level of engagement that is beneficial for all: “For some time, Laura has been working with the various trades to ensure union workers have access to more opportunities.

I remember when we first met during a convention, Laura went on to explain how they needed Professionals for Offshore projects to ensure local content initiatives were being met and to ensure local jobs were being created, and how Local 1556 had the right people with the right skills for the upcoming South Fork Wind project. I feel like it has been an extremely fruitful relationship ever since!”

Chris explains the process of finding work for his members, “just like other contractors we work with, such as construction companies or other employers, as signatory to the various Project Labor Agreements we sign an agreement with Atlas Professionals after deliberating the specifics of the project and work scopes via a formal pre job meeting. From here on out, our members get to work for Atlas Professionals’ Clients for the agreed project duration with Atlas serving as the conduit to arrange all trainings required and the travel and logistics associated with crew change needs.”

He also gives an example of how the United Brotherhood of Carpenters are looking to the future: “For example, the State of New York has access to one of the richest pools of commercial divers in the entire country and they are eager to be involved, as such we are developing an introduction to ROV operations for our members ideally suited at transitioning the divers to an ROV profession. When you think about it, it’s what they do, but in a safer, remote and more practical setting. We just needed a little nudge to take the leap, discuss it with our members and head in that direction, that's all,” adds Chris with a smile.

Chris also touches on some of the core changes these Professionals will need to experience and why it is important to work with a recruitment company who can facilitate this change: “Sure, many of our people are used to working on work sites, but offshore is a completely new concept for us. So, it takes some time and convincing to initiate this transition and it is highly beneficial to have Atlas Professionals here to arrange what is needed to facilitate this change by providing the right set of information at the right time including guidance on training, project specific requirements and the offshore environment.”

Expanding the Talent Pool It’s no secret that these days, skilled and able Professionals are always in demand, and Chris also confirms this has been the case for New York as well: “A decade ago or so, a lot of our younger members were someone's kid, or cousin, or knew someone from the Local 1556, but it's not the same anymore. Aspects of this life like waking up at 6 AM, commuting and working on the site for hours is alien to the newer generations and this is of course generating some problems. So, we have to put in some effort to make the new generation understand the opportunities in this career and being part of a union brings an unrivalled comradery, access to excellent training prospects and a variety of genuine financial benefits for workers to support their family.”

As for who can become part of Local 1556? “Everyone is welcome,” adds Chris. “My advice would be to do your research and learn about the different career opportunities available. The construction industry offers a wide range of jobs, from skilled craftspeople to engineers and architects. There are also a number of different specializations within the industry, such as marine construction, heavy civil construction, and commercial construction.

As long as you have the right mindset, who you are doesn’t matter at all. “

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T H IG R W A L IE U Q TA Y ENGINEER SENIOR QUALIT

Keeping Up with the Pace: Tricks of Industry Transition Our industries are known for having access to Professionals with highly transferable set of skills. However, we know that sometimes, it can be hard to trigger that transition for one reason or another, yet they have not affected Taquiela Wright’s bustling career at all.

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Our industries are known for having access to Professionals with highly transferable set of skills, but we know that sometimes, it can be hard to trigger that transition for one reason or another. They have not affected Taquiela Wright’s bustling career at all. Currently working as Sr. Quality Engineer for the Renewables industry and previously worked in various others, she has a lot to share about understanding the dynamics of the market and the benefits of being involved with such industries!

When we promote how our industries support transferable skills and how convenient it is to transition from one industry to another, we are being serious, and Taquiela is one such Professional that can attest to this.

Taquiela worked in Construction, Aerospace and Medical industries for some time and has been part of the Oil & Gas industry for 9 years. Now, for the last two years, she has been working for the US Renewables industry: “After all these years, I honestly can say that I somewhat became a master of transferring my skills into different industries,” she adds with a smile.

Taquiela’s paths crossed with the Renewables industry by luck with the pandemic really starting to take its toll on the Energy industry and forever changing the dynamics of how we work: “COVID-19 was something that really made me understand how big the scope and size of the Renewables industry has become as before and during that time, I was working in Energy - but everything grinded to a halt. That’s when Atlas Professionals approached me to consider working in Renewables. I thought it would be really cool and interesting to work on something that is new in US, as such, making history.”

Loving What You Do We know how a lot of Professionals are eyeing to make similar changes in their careers, so we ask Taquiela if she can share some tips on how to transition between industries considering she successfully finalised such career moves many times before joining the Renewables industry.

Her answer is a pretty straightforward one, and it boils down to having an interest at what you do or what you want to do: “You have to have an interest in the area you are working in, or you want to transition to. When I was working in the medical industry, an industry that was new to me, I was looking up industry details, reading, researching. Now I am doing the same for Renewables - and I really love what I am doing.”

to become an engineer, I wanted to adopt, develop a specific mindset an analytical way of thinking - that suits an engineer. I implemented that mindset into my everyday life as well. That is why I was able to achieve what I achieved, and I am thankful for everything, but I also realise it was a mindset. That was needed though, as I am the only engineer in my family - we are artists and lawyers, but there are not a lot of engineers,” she adds with a smile.

Aligning Professional’s Needs with the Industry When asked about the perks of working in the Energy industry as a Q&A Engineer, Taquiela immediately mentions how her specialisation ensures people are working in a safe environment, and how that is extremely fulfilling on its own.

As Atlas Professionals, we understand her passion when it comes to providing a safe and sustainable work environment and we are committed to generating and promoting the very same values. That is why we developed the Zero Harm Programme that consists of routine safety warnings, teaching efficient and safe ways to work and understanding why we take the precautions we take. We aim to ensure our Professionals get to come back the very same way they onboard a vessel - with Zero Harm to their wellbeing, a goal very clearly shared by Taquiela as well: “A major perk about my job is that I get to be someone who allows people to go back home in a safe manner. It is a wonderful feeling. Of course,” she adds with a smile “there are financial benefits of this profession too, but I never considered them as my number one priority. Safety comes first and is why I am in this business as ever since college, I knew what I wanted to do, and financial perks of the profession always ranked second.”

As the interview steers close to an end, we get curious of what she thinks of Atlas Professionals and are happy to be able to conclude our interview on a rather positive note: “First things first, this is by far one of the best, most exciting projects I worked on, of course, and Atlas Professionals was the one who offered me the job. They are always hands on, very responsive, very professional, always look out for me. They go above and beyond they live up to their name, “Professionals”. For example, couple of weeks ago I had to get to Boston for something urgent and Atlas Professionals literally arranged everything on a whim - they do take excellent care of you.

Even this very interview, that I will be featured in HEROES, an international magazine, is an excellent sign that I am valued a lot.”

Taquiela also discusses how the same mentality allowed her to take an interest in her profession from the get-go as well: “When I decided

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ROB WILLEMOSVEEMENT MANAGER // AMPELMANN PR CONTINUOUS IM

Ampelmann’s Offshore Training Programs of the Future In an ever-evolving industry landscape, the significance of Ampelmann’s training programs cannot be understated.

Rob Willemse, Continuous Improvement Manager, sheds light on Ampelmann’s pivotal role in ensuring the availability of the right talent, in the right place, and at the right time.

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Ampelmann Operations B.V. (Ampelmann) is a Dutch company that was founded in 2007. The company develops, manufactures, sells and leases motion compensated systems for offshore access. The Ampelmann system is a stabilized platform that allows personnel to safely transfer between a moving vessel and an offshore structure.

Today, Ampelmann is the global leader in Walk to Work solutions by operating motion compensated offshore access systems and services all over the world, and according to Rob, there is never a dull moment in the company’s bid to ensure they provide the best services.

Rob’s personal journey also mirrors what Ampelmann wants to achieve with their professionals - a transition into a career that fits their skills and mindset: “My professional life has been a bit of an odd journey. I started my career in the military, but after a few years, I decided to pursue a degree in either business or engineering - in the end I decided to go for a Business Administration program, but I always had a serious interest in engineering, and that is why Ampelmann is an amazing place for me to be. It is the best of both worlds,” Rob adds with a smile.

The Manta Ray Rob is part of the continuous improvement program, called Manta Ray within Ampelmann. Promptly named after the manta rays that scour the ocean floor to tidy the place up, the program also aims to identify and fix avenues that can be improved within the company itself: “Manta Ray is something we are proud of, and we also like the name - we are big on codenames in Ampelmann. With Manta Ray, we are able to focus on delivering the best possible result as a company by focusing on how we do things. We tackle the big bottlenecks of our company’s performance together with the teams to figure out how to improve them. This includes identifying root causes, solving problems, running improvement projects, and implementing new processes, thus improving overall efficiency. By doing so, we avoid just blindly adding more people to the equation to improve the output and performance when things get tough - we aim to make things work better.”

These days, Rob and the team are focused on a significant challenge: robust growth. “Right now, we’re facing an exciting challenge - our rapid growth has led to a shortage of operators. There is a lot of demand for the solutions we provide, and our dedicated training team has done everything they can with their motivated and competent members, but the market just kept growing! So, I was tasked with organizing a solution because our

current processes couldn’t keep up. That is why we revamped our Operator Training process provided by Walk 2 Work Academy - our unique training program - by leveraging our existing resources to create a faster and more efficient way to provide what Professionals need. Now, we’ve proven the concept and transformed the program into a well-oiled training machine.

This reduction in training time has been remarkable: we can now have a fully trained operator in just 8 weeks instead of 8 months.”

Ensuring Sustainable Access to Talent Of course, not every challenge is of an operational nature, as there are sustainability, planning and legal avenues one has to consider as well, with one of the most significant ones being the demand to have local talent involved: “Working with local talent becomes increasingly important for two simple reasons: meeting legal requirements for local content and ensuring sustainable growth in the countries where we operate,” Rob mentions.

“Sure, it is easier for us to introduce international talent to a new country, but most countries want to have professionals who can pick up these skills and operate on an individual basis. We also would enjoy having access to local professionals with previous experience. So, while it indeed requires quite a bit of an effort to set things up in the beginning, focusing on local talent is really beneficial for us and the communities we work in too in the long run.”

Rob also gives an example where emphasis on local talent is becoming increasingly important: "Recently, we have seen this in the United States, and that is where our cooperation with Atlas Professionals came into play.

We know your US expansion aligned with ours, and you have a dynamic, active team in the US that wants to show what Atlas Professionals can do," Rob adds with a smile. "We have a similar mindset, and we too are trying to understand the Jones Act and collaborate with the USCG (United States Coastal Guard), where you have to move forward with American Professionals especially in the east coast region. It is great to be working with the dynamic Atlas Professionals team who have the same mindset as ours and can support our operations locally in many regions such as Latvia, the Netherlands and more by pointing the way for local talent and offering tax, insurance and legal support when needed."

All in all, Rob is looking forward to ensuring the developments of today can lead to better results tomorrow: "We hope to revamp and rebuild our training modules and Walk 2 Work Academy to sustain this accelerated pace so we can always secure the best solution for our industries.”

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CEVS ILJA BUERRATO R GANGWAY OP

From Able Seaman to Gangway Operator Embarking on a journey from seasoned Able Seaman to the dynamic role of a Gangway Operator, Ilja Burcevs recounts his transformative experience within the offshore industry.

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Every new journey starts with a decision to change course - but things are always easier if you have an idea about which course to take. Racking up invaluable experience as an Able Seaman for over 13 years, Ilja realised how he has done everything he could do and set out to explore new opportunities within the industry: “On my previous job, as an Able Seaman, I felt like I reached a point when it is impossible for me to improve further. I feel that I have outgrown my current position, so to be able to advance professionally has become my number one priority,” Ilja explains.

His introduction to the Gangway Operator position? Well, it was by chance, and a very welcome one: “Since I have been working Offshore for 13 years, mainly in Oil & Gas industry and on vessels like Tugs, Chemical tankers, Oil tankers, RoRo and RoPaxs vessels, Containers ships, ERRVs and PSVs. I was getting ready to change things a little bit. I trained to be a Wind Turbine Technician for the Renewables industry. However, when this opportunity with Ampelmann arose I was like, why not try it? After applying for the position with Atlas Professionals, I first passed all the necessary interviews, and now here I am - learning how to be a Gangway Operator!”

Getting to Know Gangway Operators

you know I can find myself working in the Norwegian Sea for a completely different Client. It’s pretty cool when you think about it,” he mentions with a smile.

Real Training Before the Trip, not During Training down at the Ampelmann Operations Centre is known to be one of the best in the industry. Trainees get a chance to discover what their role entails and how to work with various types of machinery in a safe manner: “We cover a lot of ground during our training both in terms of theory and practice. For theory, we go over everything that is related to our position, like electronics, hydraulics - all the necessary procedures, what to do in certain situations if an emergency comes up and other relevant concepts that will be needed during our time offshore,” Ilja adds.

Not everything is theory of course, and proper, on-hands training programs are always valued by both our Professionals and Clients, as they offer exceptionally valuable opportunities for everyone in the industry - and this is what made W2W special for Ilja and most probably other Professionals as well!

A gangway operator plays a critical role in ensuring safe and efficient access to ships, especially in ports and offshore operations. This job demands keen attention to detail, as Professionals must ensure that gangways are securely fastened, monitor weight limits, and follow strict safety protocols.

Additionally, gangway operators also often serve as a welcoming face for travellers, offering assistance and information as needed.

Ilja explains how he got a chance to work with real gangways and real situations during his training and how that was an invaluable experience: “During my training, I’ve had a chance to be on real projects with real operators, I did some real landings and also the maintenance of the gangway.” He continues: “Ampelmann has one-of-a-kind training facility out here that has the hardest crane to operate - which is good, as when you learn the hardest one, operating others becomes much more convenient and easier to handle. So basically, I have experienced how the work goes thanks to all these precautions, and yeah, I like it a lot!”

Thus, having social skills and a can-do mentality is highly beneficial as the position involves a lot of hands-on discussions with other stakeholders and Professionals to ensure safe travel can be secured. The level of attention to detail one has to demonstrate is the prime reason why trained Professionals are highly sought after: “Every day you talk with Captains, Clients - people who know their way around the vessel and the job. Then you get a chance to interact with transferees as well, so this is a human-centric job.”

We then ask how his interaction with Atlas Professionals was, from the moment he signed up all the way to finalizing his training, and we once again feel gratuitous for the hard work of our colleagues: “Atlas Professionals, like their name, was really professional. All the papers were on time, communication was clear and effective. I have heard good things about Atlas Professionals even before signing up and all I can say is the word on the street was true, and I am glad I joined.”

And this is true for all Gangway Operator positions across the globe, and the international aspect of the job also appeals to Ilja: “Ampelmann tries to send people across the world for different jobs all the time and I think that is really interesting. I can be working in US for a project and next thing

If you too want to discover opportunities with Atlas Professionals and pursue a career in the bustling Energy, Marine & Renewables industries, please feel free to scan this QR code to explore our vacancies!

What does a gangway operator do, then?

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Developing the Future of Energy with Green Hydrogen Green hydrogen is here, and it is already making waves with continued efforts to increase its use cases in the process industry while solidifying its advantages in mobility and energy buffering avenues as well. Gerwin Hament, Head of Project Management at VoltH2, shares his insights.

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The Energy, Marine and Renewables industries are known for their extensive R&D efforts and a constant desire to introduce new, more efficient methods to handle already existing demands - and VoltH2 is one of the more prominent players within the growing hydrogen market. The company’s mission revolves around developing a portfolio of green hydrogen production facilities at industrial and logistic hubs to supply green hydrogen to its customers.

VoltH2 ensures that, by further improving the green hydrogen distribution and development infrastructure, various other businesses in the Energy, Marine & Renewables industries will have a chance to further reduce their CO2 emissions and tap into a new, sustainable way to fuel their operations.

Gerwin Hament, Head of Project Management, is one of the key figures that is helping VoltH2 achieve their goals.

VoltH2’s Vision for the Future Gerwin’s role allows him to oversee project management efforts of the company and give VoltH2 the edge it needs to ensure success: “Every day at VoltH2 is different for me as part of my job is to structure the organisation in a way that allows us to grow sustainably and exert more control over our projects. Basically, I’m managing the engineering and the project management team on a day-to-day basis and I’m responsible for all the projects in the portfolio of VoltH2.”

Gerwin’s experience becomes even more important when one considers how demanding the hydrogen industry is with more and more players joining the fray: “VoltH2 is developing various projects for the Dutch and German markets with potential to expand into other markets rather soon.

Of course, these projects have different stages in the development and that means we have to standardize the way we develop our projects to be faster and more efficient than other industry players to retain our competitive edge.”

Even with stiff competition, however, Gerwin knows VoltH2 has a great and exciting future ahead, and when we ask what the future has in store for him, he replies with the same level of positivity: “I think it’s really exciting to be part of such an impactful journey. Each day is different and each day I get a chance to do something different or improve what we already do by implementing different methods. I really am glad that I am right at the centre of this industry and part of the development process - as I believe that the action is today and the reactions are tomorrow!”

Evolving Personnel Needs for an Evolving Industry An industry that is poised to be one of the biggest Energy niches will require a lot of Professionals to transition to it. Gerwin sheds light on the qualifications one might need to secure themselves a position in VoltH2 - and Hydrogen industry in general - and understand the direction the company is going towards: “Right now, there are certain skills and a level of experience you need to have to be part of our team, but we also understand how green hydrogen is a relatively new industry and not everyone might have the exact qualifications we need. That is why, as VoltH2 continues to grow and adapt new structures, we will get a chance to train Professionals and future colleagues in a way that is aligned with our needs - and I expect this to be sooner rather than later. I am really looking forward to this path VoltH2 will be taking as it will further energize the company and create an even more dynamic work environment.”

That does not come without its challenges, however: “It is usually harder to get young Professionals on board and make sure they go through with their training and onboarding, so we are always on the lookout for those who have somewhat proven that they are willing to commit - whether via similar experience or certifications, and that’s where recruitment companies come in. This is true for both white collar and technical positions,” Gerwin shares as he reminisces how Atlas Professionals played a role in his Hydrogen career as well: “Even though I contacted VoltH2 myself after reading them up on a magazine, Atlas Professionals was the one to finalise the employment contract between me and VoltH2 thanks to their good relationship with VoltH2!”

However, not everyone has the same know-how as he does, so the need to introduce new talent to the industry is what makes working with recruitment companies like Atlas Professionals highly beneficial, according to Gerwin: “It is really important to understand what competencies allow a Professional to successfully transition into the hydrogen industry. We want sustainable growth within VoltH2 - to ensure that is the case, we have to be able to source younger talent.”

If you are looking to ensure you can facilitate a transition from other industries to the Hydrogen industry, Atlas Professionals can help you secure the opportunities you need. For further information, and to find out which Hydrogen positions we offer, please scan the QR code.

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HAM R OF THE SOUTH ERIN COPMLED NT OFFICER, STA CHIEF DEVELO

Winds Blow Favourably for Australia’s Star of the South Offshore Wind in Australia is gaining significant attention as the country explores renewable energy options with Star of the South leading the way. Here is Erin Coldham, Chief Development Officer at Star of the South, with more.

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It goes without saying that the last couple of years witnessed numerous countries taking another look into their energy infrastructure to ensure it withstands the upcoming decades - and Australia is no different.

Australia is often regarded as a nation heavily reliant on traditional energy sources. However, the country is increasingly looking to a future powered by Renewables. Given the unique advantages of the continent, Offshore Wind stands out as a promising energy source with Star of the South leading the nation's transition in this direction.

Star of the South is a 2.2-gigawatt offshore wind farm that is being developed off the coast of Victoria, Australia. The offshore wind farm is projected to generate enough electricity to power over 1.2 million homes and provide thousands of jobs across communities in Australia. Erin, leveraging her expertise in infrastructure and project management, is confident that the project will successfully deliver on its goals.

Erin details how well things have been going for Star of the South and the recent inroads the team have made: “The project is still in the early stages of development, but we have made significant progress in recent years.

We secured an exploration licence in 2019, have completed environmental studies, and recently conducted a six-week offshore geotechnical survey.

We are confident that Star of the South will be a major contributor to Australia’s clean energy transition.”

A Guide for Offshore Wind Professionals Thanks to our decades of experience within the Offshore Wind industry and global footprint, Atlas Professionals can assist Star of the South locally in Australia with many of their early personnel requirements, but the extent of our collaboration does not stop there. Just like Erin mentioned: “I believe our partnership and relationship with Atlas Professionals is rooted in our shared values and our commitment to achieving positive outcomes for the industry.”

The relationship between Star of the South and Atlas Professionals has yielded many fruits but none have been as widely recognised and perhaps cherished by the Offshore Wind Jobs Guide (“Guide”). We are incredibly honoured and humbled that the joint effort between Star of the South and Atlas Professionals has won the Industry Collaboration Award at the Subsea Energy Australia Business Awards 2023.

Conceptualised as the premier source for all that is related to understanding the many jobs would be offered by the Offshore Wind industry, the Offshore Wind Jobs Guide continues to serve as a handy tool for many Professionals who are looking into transitioning into this ever-growing industry. Erin details how the Guide has made tangible changes within several communities

and the Australian Offshore Wind industry in general: “When we discussed opportunities within the Offshore Wind industry with different communities, we realised that communicating the breadth of options and how feasible it is to transition or upskill was challenging. People just don’t have the necessary information to understand the opportunities this industry presents. So, what we did was, we create profiles for almost 60 specific jobs, detailing skills and education requirements, where to get necessary certifications, and more. Today, we have global colleagues reaching out, asking about implementing something similar themselves. It’s been a real success!”

To find out more about the Guide, please scan the QR code down below to visit Star of the South’s webpage dedicated to it.

The Future of Energy in Australia Of course, a core reason why the Guide is and will be a significant resource for professional growth is the fact that the landscape of Energy industry in Australia is changing - and Offshore Wind is poised to be one of the most significant Energy sources for the country.

However, change does not happen overnight, and Erin knows some of the core challenges she and her team have to tackle before Australia witnesses tangible effects of these developments: “My days are usually all about moving the project forward, step by step. Typically, what I might do in a day is look at all the development activities, ranging all the way from building up industry capabilities, looking at stakeholder engagement, working with our team on things like permitting and regulatory processes, and more. There are many avenues we have to consider and even though many aspects of our industry are in constant progress, we still have much to do.”

Now that the team has favourable winds at their back, the future looks exciting for Star of the South: “In the coming years, Start of the South is hoping to achieve the milestones of securing approvals and a final investment decision for the Star of the South project. We are also working to develop other offshore wind projects in Australia. We believe that offshore wind has the potential to play a major role in Australia’s clean energy transition, and we are committed to making it a reality.”

As for her professional life? Erin seems to be very content with how things are going and is looking forward to contributing to the overall state of Offshore Wind in Australia: “We are doing something great with the Star of the South, and I believe that if we do it in the right way, we will get a chance to make a real difference with many communities in Australia - and I think we will stand back and be very proud what we’ve achieved.”

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ALEC & ANNA ZERO HARM

Correct Prioritization Compliance

Communication Continuous Risk assessment

Safe Behaviour Program | The 7Cs To help ensure safe and efficient work is conducted, Atlas Professionals has produced a safe behaviour program. Following the 7Cs will ensure safe and efficient work is conducted. No paperwork is required to follow the 7Cs - it is all in the mindset.

Caring for each other Coaching/Mentoring Competence

Correct Prioritisation Planning tasks prior to commencing and replanning according to new developments.

Compliance Following procedures and using management of change when required.

Communication Talking and listening to each other.

Safety Cartoons From holiday safety to risk assessments, you may have seen Atlas Professionals’ cartoon characters Alec and Anna in some comically exaggerated, yet often very recognisable situations. The main purpose of the safety cartoons, though, is not to amuse you. Their aim is to persuade you to live by Zero Harm too, as there are many ways to get hurt in our industry.

Our Zero Harm goal, humorously conveyed by Alec and Anna in the safety cartoons, ensures we are taking the rights steps so that our employees and customers return home in the same condition they arrived - injury free. This also encompasses Zero Harm to the natural environments in which we work and operate.

Safety is something we do well, and it is a contributing factor to our business success. Our safety culture framework is designed for future prevention and our people align themselves with our core safety beliefs.

By providing our Professionals with the understanding that all injuries are preventable, we believe that they will, in turn, be empowered to deliver safety leadership throughout the business. Zero Harm states that knowing safety is not enough, practising it is equally important.

Stay alert, don’t get hurt.

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Continuous Risk Assessment Thinking ’What if?’ and having the correct mindset prior to conducting any task.

Caring for each other Having the courage to intervene on an unsafe act or omission at any given time.

Coaching / Mentoring Using your competence to help and guide others.

Competence The ability, skills and knowledge to do something successfully and efficiently.

Live by these 7Cs and together we will make the energy, marine and renewables industry a safer working environment.

Alec & Anna Always put safety first...

Where shall we put this first...?

Falling/Dropped Objects Hahaha! Next time you better bring an umbrella!

I hate seagulls!

Falling/Dropped Objects Never walk under suspended loads.

Use lanyards on tools when working at height.

Empty coverall pockets when working at height.

Conduct 360 degree checks before lifting loads.

Never work under people working at height.

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Atlas Professionals is an international leading recruitment company. Since 1982, Atlas Professionals has played a major role in the provision of Professionals to the energy, marine and renewables industries worldwide.

If quality and reliability are key for your business, Atlas Professionals is the partner you need to deliver highly qualified personnel.

We create custom-made, comprehensive HR packages, which allows you to focus on the project without any concerns about the workforce.

Over the years, Atlas Professionals has grown to become a no-nonsense, dependable HR service provider in the energy, marine and renewables industries with a mission to turn complex personnel challenges into transparent and secure solutions.

Atlas Professionals Marketing & Communications Wijkermeerstraat 32 - 34 2131 HA Hoofddorp The Netherlands marketing@atlasprofessionals.com

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