Mark Verhagen is a creative person. And that is an understatement! Everything his eyes see, his hands want to make. In addition to his work as a Test Consultant, he also regularly frees up time to unleash his creativity. He makes the most beautiful things. Just by doing, trying and finetuning. “I’ve never done it, so I think I can do it” is a statement that fits Mark like a glove. Due to his stubborn character, he is not easily told that something is not possible. He always looks for the best solution, but not directly for the path of least resistance.
Why Then Work with Your Head and Not (Only) with Your Hands?
He prefers to pick up as many new things as possible and likes to take that ‘one step further’. Mark looks beyond what he’s ‘served up’ and likes to put himself in the user’s shoes to see how he can achieve the best result. Often things that the user hasn’t thought of.
Within Nekst IT’s Smart Industry Squad, he can work with both software and hardware. So with his head and his hands. This Squad is mainly concerned with the integration between IT and OT at our customers. Mark helps companies with tangible challenges and results on a daily basis and does not walk away when something is still unfamiliar territory for him. If he doesn’t know something (yet), he will get to the bottom of it. For example, he thinks along in the test process -preferably- throughout the entire chain. Has everything been well thought out and have we not forgotten something important?
More than a year ago, Mark joined Nekst IT. He quickly noticed that this is a company where you fit into the team as a person, not just because of your resume. That makes Nekst IT unique for him, because you as a person come first. You have personality, you can learn skills. Just like having special hobbies. You can learn all about that too!
From Epoxy to Poison Frogs and from Macro Photos to Aquariums
Mark never has enough hobbies! From working with epoxy to make nice bowls and tables to making the most beautiful macro photos. He takes the most special photos with his SLR camera, extension rings and some tape. With special techniques and creative solutions, he gets a razor-sharp picture of everything.
As a volunteer and part of the Vivarium core team, the largest exhibition in the field of aquariums / terrariums / paludariums for consumers, he is co-responsible for all technology at the exhibition. In addition to this technical knowledge, he also has knowledge of poison frogs, paludariums and the design of aquariums. He even became second in the Netherlands once!
All photos in this article are courtesy of Mark Verhagen.
