After traveling the world, Eva Christophe joined Cefetra B.V. in Rotterdam in the summer of 2023. As a quality officer, she makes sure our products meet strict requirements. ‘It’s a party, as long as you hang the garlands yourself.’
‘I grew up in Limburg, but I absolutely love Rotterdam. After graduating, I wanted to move here because the mentality suits me. My friends from Limburg often say: Eva, you’re so straightforward. I appreciate the pleasant atmosphere at our company. There is room for your own input. If you see something that could be done more efficiently, you can address it and change it.’
‘I studied Applied Science. I could continue working at the university, or in a laboratory, but I thought: could I also use my knowledge somewhere else? As a quality officer, my education is very useful. I would also advise other students to look beyond the logical next steps.’
‘This is a remarkable line of work. You get to know it by trial and error.’
Eva Christophe – Quality Officer
‘Sometimes our traders bring in a new product and our job is to see if and how we can safely take it to our markets. We conduct risk analyses, working together with laboratories. Audits are also conducted by external agencies, and we conduct internal audits ourselves.’
‘There is not really a course for the Quality profession, so colleagues come from different disciplines. That way, you have different perspectives together. There are now five of us here. It’s interesting to put our heads together: what are you working on, can I help you, can I learn something from it? Because the requirements for products are becoming increasingly stringent, we never stand still.’
‘My drive is to move forward with the team, to continuously improve our approach. We have an awful lot of data at our disposal, and we can benefit from that. We have a relatively young team, and everyone is eager to learn. Also, in terms of leveraging new technology.’
‘I’m learning a lot here. Many colleagues go on a three-quarter year grain course, and I am taking it as well. It goes from trade and logistics to European policy. It gives me a broader understanding of the products and the trade, and I can get to know my colleagues better. Before, I also took an audit course. If you want to learn something, the company will enable you to.’
‘It’s a remarkable line of work. You have to let it wash over you; you get to know it by trial and error. If you go into it in an energetic and friendly way, everyone is willing to help you. As the Dutch saying goes: it’s a party, as long as you hang the garlands yourself.’
