{"id":74823,"date":"2026-09-30T13:34:49","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:34:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alistar.net\/?post_type=hr-story&p=74823"},"modified":"2026-09-30T13:39:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:39:31","slug":"laurens","status":"publish","type":"hr-story","link":"https:\/\/alistar.net\/en\/werken-bij\/verhalen\/laurens\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cAt Alistar, you learn at a fast pace, which helps you grow really quickly.\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>Laurens has been with Alistar for several years now and has experienced impressive growth during that time. He began his career as an IT trainee and quickly developed into a full-fledged Cloud Engineer, with in-depth knowledge of Azure, PowerShell, and Logic Apps. In this success story, we take a closer look at what Laurens has learned at Alistar, how he has grown, and what challenges have shaped him along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January 2023, Laurens signed his contract with Alistar and began the IT Growth Program, a program that gave him the opportunity to grow both technically and personally.
\u201cAt Alistar, you learn at a fast pace, which helps you grow really quickly,\u201d says Laurens, who now works in second-line support. \u201cThat means I handle tickets that are too difficult or time-consuming for first-line support. I also help with projects, such as Phase 1 of the automation initiative for Alistar Cloud Services.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cDuring the Deep Dive<\/a>\u201dAs part of the program, I then worked on various projects, both on the application side and the cloud side. During those first few months, I got a taste of both sides, which was very valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

How Laurens Ended Up at Alistar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just because he feels right at home in the world of cloud technology doesn\u2019t mean his path to it was the most obvious one. \u201cI once started studying Earth Sciences and Economics, but it just wasn\u2019t the right fit for me\u2014especially the earth science courses didn\u2019t suit me,\u201d Laurens explains. \u201cI\u2019ve always found it interesting to take computers apart and put them back together, so when I saw Alistar\u2019s IT Trainee Program advertised, I applied right away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laurens looks back on his onboarding with great enthusiasm. \u201cThe atmosphere at Alistar is very warm and welcoming. I noticed this right from the first day: colleagues were playing darts, and there was a friendly, open atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the pre-hire phase that followed, Laurens was on-site less often, but he was always in contact with his career manager. He then started at Alistar\u2019s Cloud Services division, and his first project was with one of Alistar\u2019s partners, a college. \u201cI supported students in using Azure Virtual Desktop during exams, helping them resolve connection issues and other technical challenges. This gave me a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the cloud industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

By working on various projects, you'll develop a wide range of skills, from technical to process-oriented.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

My future lies in the cloud<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

That broad focus has paid off. \u201cDuring a Mendix training session in the Deep Dive, I realized that the cloud side appealed to me much more,\u201d Laurens explains. \u201cIt was more practical, more technical, and better aligned with my interests. That\u2019s when I really realized that my future lies in the cloud.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Deep Dive program, Laurens primarily developed skills in PowerShell, Logic Apps, and cloud migrations. He built automation solutions, such as automatically writing data to systems like Topdesk. He also worked with Azure Virtual Desktop and gained experience managing cloud user environments. Additionally, he experimented with workflows and process improvement using Power Automate and Microsoft technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy working on various projects, you develop a wide range of skills, from technical to process-oriented,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not just learning, but also doing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Laurens found a training course focused on AZ-104 very interesting. \u201cEspecially since I was already working with Azure a lot. The training also covered topics I don\u2019t use on a daily basis, so it was fun to experiment with them in Alistar\u2019s test environment. Now I could really practice applying what I learned\u2014not just learning, but actually doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For his final project in the Deep Dive program, Laurens carried out migrations from file-sharing platforms to SharePoint and email migrations. He spent a lot of time researching these projects. He has since successfully completed his final presentation for the Deep Dive phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional and Personal Growth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For Laurens, the past few years have been all about growth, both professionally and personally. \u201cAt first, I didn\u2019t enjoy the soft skills training as much, but in the end, it really helped me,\u201d he says. \u201cEvery week, we had to set personal goals and reflect on them. That made me more conscious of my own development\u2014for example, in providing context during conversations and improving my presentation skills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laurens admits that it was sometimes a challenge to stay motivated during training sessions that didn\u2019t quite align with his interests. \u201cI\u2019ve learned to persevere, even when things got tough. In the end, you always get something out of it.\u201d Finally, for potential new trainees considering the IT Growth Program at Alistar, Laurens has a clear piece of advice: \u201cYou\u2019re really doing this for yourself, so make the most of it. Without dedication, you\u2019re only holding yourself back. The first few months are the perfect time to figure out what suits you\u2014so be sure to take full advantage of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In any case, Laurens has clear goals for his own future at Alistar: \u201cI want to continue to develop within the Cloud Services department: grow professionally, participate in new projects, and contribute to the further development of our services.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

The great thing about the cloud is that there\u2019s still so much to discover and learn! I look forward to continuing to do that at Alistar in the coming months.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Laurens is inmiddels al een aantal jaar actief bij Alistar en heeft in die tijd een indrukwekkende groei doorgemaakt. Hij begon zijn carri\u00e8re als IT-trainee en ontwikkelde zich in rap tempo tot volwaardig Cloud Engineer, met diepgaande kennis van Azure, PowerShell en Logic Apps. In dit succesverhaal duiken we dieper in wat Laurens heeft geleerd […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":74824,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"inline_featured_image":false},"tags":[],"hr-thema":[],"hr-vakgebied":[],"class_list":["post-74823","hr-story","type-hr-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u201cBij Alistar leer je in een hoog tempo, waardoor je echt snel groeit\u201d - Alistar<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/alistar.net\/en\/careers\/stories\/laurens\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u201cBij Alistar leer je in een hoog tempo, waardoor je echt snel groeit\u201d - Alistar\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Laurens is inmiddels al een aantal jaar actief bij Alistar en heeft in die tijd een indrukwekkende groei doorgemaakt. 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