Chantal joined Volkers immediately after completing her education. "I studied graphic design and then spent another year at artschool. I happened to come across a job opening at Volkers for a DTP specialistand thought: how interesting and conveniently close to home. I've been workin gat Volkers for almost 11 years now."
Chantal works as aDTP specialist in Volkers' Studio. Here, she collaborates with the DTP team to prepare artwork files for printing. "As DTP specialists, we translate the design. This includes tasks like placing trapping (for proper color alignment,ed.) and barcodes. We also ensure that everything meets legal requirements.We're essentially creative DTP specialists who deliver the PDF. In addition to our team, there's also a more technical DTP department that ensures the filescan actually be printed."
“My day starts by reviewing the daily orders schedule. We receive orders through theAccounts department, which maintains contact with clients. No day is the same.Sometimes I start in the morning with a Superunie project, and in the afternoon, I'm working on Jumbo or Leerdammer projects. I love that variety."
Like any field,DTP is constantly evolving. Chantal tries to stay updated on these developments herself, especially Adobe updates. "The updates to Adobe programs aren't very frequent, but there's increasingly more that can be done with the programs. Previously, in Photoshop, you had to do extensive retouching. Nowadays, it can be done in just a few clicks. I keep up with these developments."
Chantal appreciates that colleagues keep each other sharp. "There's a wealth of knowledge in the company, partly because many have been here for so long. And everyone wants to help each other. It's reassuring when you have questions or doubts. And if something can be done in a more efficient way, you'll hear about it. The atmosphere at Volkers is very friendly, open, and informal."
According toChantal, this pleasant atmosphere is one of Volkers' secrets to success."When you have a good vibe at the office, people enjoy going to work.Volkers is a real family business. There are quite a few employees, but almost everyone knows each other."
Chantal takes pride in the expertise she has gained at Volkers. "I came straight from school and have been able to develop myself here as a full-fledged DTP specialist in the packaging industry. We work for very big brands. As a DTP specialist, that's more interesting to me than making business cards for the local painter. It's still amusing when you encounter work in the supermarket that you recognize. And after ten years, I can still continue to develop myself here. For example, I now handle planning and teamcontrol one day a week. Even after ten years, it's still not boring."
