Ruben Van Elsacker (AP Hogeschool/BASF) becomes the first associate degree student to win the Wout Theuws Award

Maintenance technicians play an essential role in ensuring the safety, reliability and availability of industrial installations. Their work goes far beyond troubleshooting and repairing faults. Inspections, overhauls, documentation and continuous improvements are equally important aspects of professional maintenance.

During his internship at BASF Antwerp, Ruben gained first-hand experience of this broad range of maintenance activities. He worked in an industrial maintenance environment, gained experience in the central workshop and developed an understanding of automation and various technical disciplines.

One of his specific assignments involved overhauling a defective fan. Ruben not only carried out the technical work but also developed a practical work instruction that BASF can reuse for future overhauls.

In doing so, he contributed to knowledge retention and the standardisation of maintenance activities. A single technical intervention was thus transformed into a lasting and valuable resource for the maintenance organisation.

AP Hogeschool nominated Ruben under the theme "Ownership mindset". Throughout his internship, he stood out for independently taking responsibility, carefully documenting his work and actively coordinating with his supervisors and colleagues.

His nomination was also supported by BASF Antwerp. His motivation, technical understanding and willingness to learn were particularly appreciated. On his own initiative, Ruben even participated in a reactor replacement on a Sunday morning to gain additional hands-on experience.

This commitment, combined with his ability to analyse technical problems logically, made a strong impression on the jury.

"From day one, Ruben demonstrated motivation, common sense and technical insight. The work instruction he developed for overhauling a defective fan is something we can reuse for future overhauls."

Lieven Schroyen, Internship supervisor at BASF Antwerp

By recognising Ruben's achievements, BEMAS highlights the importance of practice-oriented higher technical education. Associate degree programmes provide an essential link between technical secondary education and professional bachelor's degree programmes. They prepare students for roles where technical knowledge is directly applied in industrial environments.

The Maintenance Techniques specialisation at AP Hogeschool combines electromechanical knowledge with practical experience, technical problem-solving and professional skills.

Ruben's internship at BASF Antwerp illustrates how collaboration between education and industry can contribute to the development of technical talent. Students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a real production environment while learning how safety, reliability and maintenance organisation are interconnected.

The Wout Theuws Award has been presented to students in technical secondary education since 2016. From the 2025–2026 academic year onwards, the award was expanded to higher education, introducing the Associate Degree and Professional Bachelor's Degree categories.

Ruben Van Elsacker is the first winner in the Associate Degree category. The jury particularly appreciated the strong connection between his internship and everyday industrial maintenance practices, his technical insight and his sense of responsibility.

"Ruben demonstrates why maintenance is so important to our industry. A good maintenance technician does more than fix breakdowns: they help keep installations safe, reliable and efficient. This craftsmanship deserves greater recognition."

Wim Vancauwenberghe, Director of BEMAS

The Wout Theuws Award is a BEMAS initiative that recognises promising young technical talents who distinguish themselves in maintenance, reliability and asset management.

The award is named after Wout Theuws, who began his career as a technician and went on to become a respected maintenance professional. In 2000, he was named Maintenance Manager of the Year by BEMAS. He later continued sharing his knowledge through BEMAS and the European Federation of National Maintenance Societies (EFNMS).

Through this award, BEMAS aims to highlight the importance of technical craftsmanship and encourage young people to further develop their skills and careers in maintenance.