Get to know us: Willemijn van Paassen

After her internship in 2021, Willemijn stayed with us as a working student. But even after obtaining her diploma, she joined our team again; this time as a full-time industrial designer. In addition to being a passionate designer, she is also a very social colleague with a broad interest.

Els ter Haar 3 April 2024

What are you currently working on at Fabrique Invent?
At the moment I am working on a redesign of an existing glass wall. In addition, I am also designing a completely new product for one of our customers. I am also in the official party committee of Fabrique Invent. This means that in between design activities I organize events with the team and initiate them. In addition to new design projects, I also continue to work on products that I have designed before. For example, the first models of these are now coming out of the mold, and I am going to see if any adjustments need to be made for them.

Why did you decide to work at Fabrique Invent?
During my internship I had the chance to look inside a completely different type of company. My graduation company was a lot bigger: there I found out how product development works at a renowned company. That was fun in its own way, but working there full-time didn’t suit me at the moment. I think it’s more important how people interact within a team and how you are treated than whether the company has a big name.

I chose Fabrique Invent because of the small scale, the quick switching, flexibility and the nice people. I also live very close to the office, which of course also plays a role. In addition, I like the working atmosphere and the projects.

What made you decide to become an industrial designer?
I used to be very creative. My friends used to joke: Wil, she’s going to be an inventor! When I had to choose a study after high school, the creative in combination with the technical aspect appealed to me. I found this in the IPO training. It was only later that I discovered how broad and diverse the profession is, and how no day is the same. You go through many phases within a project, which I really enjoy.

When I started the training I had no idea what the work entailed, I only found out during my internships. When you are taken into a company as a full-fledged colleague you only know what the daily work will look like. I already liked office life then, so I knew I was on the right track.

What would you like to do again in your life?
I would still like to learn to dive. I don’t have a specific place in mind yet, but that will be my next big vacation.

When I think about work, I would like to do another really cool invention. Not a Nobel Prize or something like that, but a really good mechanism or product that I have come up with. It doesn’t have to be something that people think: I really needed this in my life, but more that I can say about it myself; this is really well thought out!

Or do I not have that yet with something I have thought of? To me it feels like it is all still on a smaller scale. Now I can think about details: I have thought of that nicely, or that is a nice clever trick. But I want to go from the small Eureka moments to a big Eureka moment. That seems like a lot of fun to experience.

I would also like to see the northern lights. I am only 21, so there is still plenty to experience!

What advice would you give to young industrial designers?
Make sure you arrange a nice internship for yourself. It is very good to look inside different companies and find out how things work in an office. You will also learn skills here that you will not find in the training. How do you find that nice internship? Prepare well. Be on time. The nicest places are the first to be filled, so if you start looking on time you have the best chance. Also realize that the company invests time in it, so do not waste it. Look at the type of people who work there or try to talk to them. Ask yourself; do I fit in here?

Be curious and don’t be afraid to ask questions. I think that if you want to be an industrial designer you have to be curious by nature anyway. If you don’t have the tendency to want to make or think of something yourself, it might not be the profession for you. And finally: what you give you get back. If you give a lot yourself in your curiosity and enthusiasm and show that you like it, then you will get this back and that makes it much more fun for yourself.

What work-related skill would you still like to learn?
For example, when Niels is having an initial conversation with a customer, he quickly has a vision for a product and a series of solutions. I have that vision to some extent, but I don’t have that much experience and knowledge in that area yet. I think it would be really cool to have a clear vision and self-confidence in my work in a few years. This is also because I have actually just started my career.

Another skill I would like to learn is that I can explain the ideas in my head better to others. In any case, it is difficult to convey ideas well. Between colleagues but also to the client. You also notice that everyone here has different communication styles, which means that you have to explain your design in different ways and learn to do that too.

Fabrique Invent & Boal Extrusion

What do you get when you combine technical precision, sustainable ambition, and creative innovation? A collaboration that has endured effortlessly for over 30 years and continues to surprise today.

Els ter Haar 25 November 2025