Seven Journeys, One Welcome: Starting Life at Materialise

They may work in different teams, come from different backgrounds, and live in different countries — Spain, Malaysia, Ukraine, Belgium, Germany, the United States, and France, to be exact — yet their recollection of the first few months had a lot in common.

Each of our new colleagues came away from their onboarding experience with a memorable moment, strong relationships, an understanding of Materialise’s “bigger picture,” and early achievements to be proud of.

When you start a new job, there’s always (at least) one moment that makes it memorable. For Sandra Wong, a Conversion Engineer in Malaysia, even the small gestures on her first day stand out, like making time in a crowded schedule to say hello.

“I got to meet a lot of colleagues from different teams, and they were very welcoming, which made me feel less nervous,” she told us.

Sandra wasn’t alone in highlighting the importance of the people around her. In fact, all of our new colleagues mentioned the warm welcome as a positive standout. For Software Test Engineer Javier Serrano, that included some unexpected faces. 

“On my second day in the Spanish office, there was a meeting with all departments, and I had the opportunity to personally meet Brigitte [de Vet], the CEO, and Koen Peters [VP of Materialise Medical],” he recalls. “I had to speak in front of all of them, and it was a really good opportunity to see the work of all the other teams in the Spanish office.”

It's important to us that this welcoming culture is noticeable in every office, even through a screen. It was particularly helpful for Vladyslav Hapishko, a Software Development Engineer in Ukraine, who started working with his team remotely.

“My first week was a bit scary, but I'm still amazed at how warm my welcome was,” he said. “I also want to say a few words about the hiring process. It was like a Christmas miracle for me because I really wanted to join Materialise so badly.”

Others, like Sebastian Lange, our Sales Manager for the DACH region, were particularly impressed by a first look behind the curtain at their new company. He was invited to travel from Germany to Belgium for his first week of training and a chance to meet his co-workers in person — a step we often take for colleagues who don’t spend their day-to-day at HQ. This visit left him feeling pretty motivated, though that may also have been the surprise supply of fresh Belgian waffles.

“On my first day, I had a personal production tour. It was fantastic to see more than just the big picture from the website and the channels we get most of our information from. To see how it looks in real life, and if you're entering the doors at headquarters, it is really a ‘wow’ moment,” he recalls.

“The showroom and the demo equipment impressed me because there's a lot there that makes us really unique.”

Of course, not all moments have to be about formal introductions or learning processes. Nell McCaffrey, a Process Engineer in France, remembers something lighter: “At the Materialise Paris office, we have something called a co‑creation room where you can chill and hang out. And they have a Nintendo Switch. So, I played Mario Kart for the first time since I was about 13.” 

The initial welcome is important — first impressions and all that — but what matters next is how those around you help you get up to speed. While speaking with our colleagues, we soon spotted a common theme: openness and cooperation.

Javier, for example, discovered that learning on the job came with active support from both local and remote teammates. “My team here in the Spanish office, and the other half in Kyiv, are so friendly, and at every moment, they helped me with any questions that I had,” he said.

Nele De Buys, a Category Procurement Manager in our Belgian office, recognized the same openness across departments. “Everybody that you meet says, ‘If you need something, you can always ask me, or you can always come to me for that.’ And that’s not only in the team, but also in other departments or stakeholders I have to work with.”

“I’ve heard many times that the people are the biggest value of Materialise, and I felt it in my first few weeks,” agrees Vladyslav. “You can ask whatever you want, whatever you need, and you will always get a precise (and more importantly, friendly) answer to anything you are interested in.”

For many newcomers, understanding the company’s processes, systems, and scope is much easier with reliable resources at hand. Many of our new colleagues mentioned the documentation provided and our internal learning platform as key parts of their onboarding.

In Belgium, Nele was impressed by the thoroughness of the materials she received. “The onboarding videos were very helpful, as was the guide I received. It is essentially a PowerPoint presentation with a lot of information, including links to all the systems we use, plus SharePoint and other platforms. It was very useful at the beginning, when you're a little overwhelmed with all the information.”

Elsewhere, Nell’s manager took a personalized approach, linking her training plan directly to the platform. “It had a list of all the SOPs that I had to go through linked to my Learning and Development system, but it also had a list of people that I should contact within my first month of being here, because these were the people that I was most likely to interact with in the future.”

In some offices, help was on hand right from the beginning with a dedicated support system. William Jackson, an IT System Administrator in the US, was quick to recall the positive impact of his personal mentor.

“My mentor took me to meet pretty much everyone in the office, and we went out for lunch. He explained Materialise, the culture, what he did, and what he expected from me as IT,” he said. “I’ve never had a job do something like that before.”

Likewise, for Sandra, the approach in our Malaysian office made a big impact. “The trainers were very helpful because they guided us step by step, from knowing nothing to understanding everything about the job. Having a buddy was also very valuable — they checked in with me, asked how I was doing, and encouraged me even when I felt shy or unsure.”

Materialise is proud of its open, supportive culture, and moments like this drive home why it’s so important. And it doesn’t happen by accident. Our career advocates, mentorship, and buddy system initiatives build connections between colleagues, allowing knowledge sharing and valuable support. They provide an opportunity to grow and learn, help overcome challenges, and offer guidance in shaping your career path. It’s a rewarding experience for both mentors and mentees, and it’s available whether you’re new to the company or have been here for years.

For many, understanding Materialise’s scale and mission came from experiences outside their immediate roles. Javier’s service training was especially powerful: “They showed me a surgeon operating, so I saw the final process and the passion they had. That was really helpful for me, too.”

Like Javier and Sebastian, Nele’s early days also included a classic production tour — and even that was just the tip of the iceberg. “The tour helped me understand how things are produced, but I'm still discovering things now, like what we’re doing in software, for instance,” she tells us.

For Sebastian, the best way to understand the bigger picture, at least in terms of scale, is getting to grips with the many customers Materialise helps. “The complexity that comes with more than 50,000 accounts is reaching out to those who have the biggest potential, and this is the challenge we face. Getting both the internal and external views was and still is very important because we have the largest customer base I've ever seen in a company. For sales, it is like a sweet shop.”

With the backing of a supportive culture, it doesn’t take long for many of our newcomers to start making a difference. Sometimes that comes in the form of a big win. At other times, it’s purely by integrating into the team so quickly that it feels like they’ve been here for years.

For Vladyslav and Nele, completing a first major project felt like a real milestone. “I worked on part of an important tool in Mimics,” recalls Vladyslav. “After successfully completing it and presenting the results during the demo, it was a moment when I truly felt that my work is appreciated.”

Similarly, Nele’s early win was practical and high‑impact: “We had a breakthrough with a supplier where we overruled a previous contract for a product we were no longer using, and signed a new contract which was more beneficial for us. It’s something I will never forget.”

William’s proudest moment came in his core IT role, and it was something of a full-circle moment. “My favorite moment so far was when I was able to go through my first laptop install and onboard my first official employee,” he told us. “I got their laptop, badge, and e‑mail set up and working. It just signified, ‘OK, I made it to Materialise. I’m the IT system admin.”

Meanwhile, for Javier and Sandra, it was the moments of connection with their respective teams and offices that really stood out.

“We had a virtual teambuilding session where the goal is not to talk about work, which is great because you have the opportunity to get to know your colleagues better and learn about their backgrounds,” says Javier.

“My favorite moments were the team bonding activities,” agrees Sandra. “Pickleball, bowling, roller skating, and also celebrating the company anniversary with my colleagues.”

Across departments, disciplines, and continents, these stories share a consistent pattern: memorable first moments, strong relationships, and achievements that set the tone for the future.

Equally consistent was the advice our now seasoned Materialise veterans had to offer any potential newcomers: “Be yourself. Ask questions. Everyone around you is willing to help.”

If you’re considering your next career move, we hope these accounts offer a clear and personal view of what it's like to join Materialise. It’s a place where curiosity is encouraged, support is constant, and the opportunities are endless (including Mario Kart, pickleball, and waffles).