Data & Integration Hero: Maurice

Enable U is made up of individual heroes. Some work with clients, others send invoices. Some are our first point of contact when we get a call and others work in the background to keep systems running or make new connections

The  Enable U machine works so efficiently mainly because of our many data & integration heroes. This series of Integration Heroes is meant to honor those individuals.

We are talking to Maurice ter Steege, Senior Data Engineer at Enable U.

Hello Maurice, what is a typical workday look like for you ?

I build the backend of our customers’ data processes, together with the Data Platform team. We make sure that source data is ready to be used for reports and dashboards. This process consists of several steps, based on Microsoft’s Medallion architecture. We start by retrieving data from the source application or applications and storing it ‘as is’ in the bronze layer. We then transform it into a logical relational data model in the silver layer. An example of such a relational data model is the Municipal Data Model, which contains definitions of the processes used within municipalities. The third step is transforming the logical model into a dimensional model in the gold layer, ready to be used for reporting. The dimensions provide context around the facts – the measurable data in the tables. Examples include time, product, and region. This allows you to analyze the data from different perspectives and turn it into meaningful reports and insights. For this process, we use our own Generator, in which we capture metadata. This ensures that data transformations are error-free, structured, and follow a fixed pattern. Metadata is essentially data about data, for example, which columns a table contains, their data types, and the maximum length of the values they can hold.

In addition, I also work with the team on developing and managing our own Data Management Platform. We host and manage this platform for several of our customers.

When did you start working at Enable U?

I joined Scamander, now part of Enable U, in 2005. It will be 21 years in September. At the time, I was approached by a recruiter about a traineeship program. The opportunity appealed to me because I did not want to work for a large company, where the first few years of your career were often already set in stone. I was looking for a smaller, more personal organization that offered greater flexibility, including within the traineeship itself.

What did you do before joining us?

Studying 😊. After a first-year foundation program in Higher Computer Science at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, I went on to study Business Information Technology at the School of Economics. That background is still very useful in the work I do for our customers. Because as well as the technical know-how, you also learn a great deal about how organizations operate and what they need to function effectively.

What part of your current role do you enjoy the most?

Figuring out solutions when things do not work as they should. Being creative until you find something that works. I really enjoy getting my teeth into complex challenges that require me to come up with and develop something new.

As a Data Platform team, we approach this in a structured way. We always start by checking whether someone has encountered a similar issue before or already has an idea about a possible solution. Then we start working out the approach ourselves, which we then run through with the rest of the team to make sure we are heading in the right direction. That also allows us to benefit from each other’s expertise. Individually, we all have a broad skill set, which enables us to handle as much as possible ourselves. At the same time, each of us has a specific area of expertise. That combination makes us stronger as a team.

What do you do to keep your knowledge up-to-date?

A lot of self-study. I use Microsoft Learn to obtain and maintain the right certifications and take relevant courses. I also subscribe to several YouTube channels. But with things changing constantly, there is an enormous amount of new content coming out, often too much to keep up with. So I use YouTube to search for specific knowledge when I need it.

How would you describe Enable U as a company?

I joined Scamander almost 21 years ago. What I have always appreciated is the small-scale, close-knit environment and the strong sense of teamwork. Everyone knows each other, and everyone is willing to help. Now that we are part of a larger organization, I mainly notice that many of our processes have become more professionalized, while I still feel the same team spirit within our Data Platform team.

Work is important, but what do you do in your spare time?

Playing padel, barbecuing, and taking care of my kids 😊. I live with my wife and our two sons in Zuidoostbeemster, near Purmerend. Both of my sons used to play tennis, but my eldest now wants to start working out at the gym, with me. I really enjoy being able to do that with him, because I used to be at the gym five days a week.

As a family, we love travelling. We enjoy exploring Europe, but we also like long-haul trips. We have travelled to the United States together, and another US trip is high on our wish list for next year. We like variety and never stay in one place for too long when we are on holiday. We prefer to put together our own road trips, and enjoy a bit of luxury and usually stay in a holiday home or hotel. Before we had children, my wife and I also made several long-distance trips together. We travelled around Australia in a campervan, explored Malaysia, and visited places including Mexico, the United States, and the Dominican Republic.

What would you like to say to your Enable U colleagues?

Alongside the serious and in-depth conversations, I also have a lot of fun with my colleagues. And I would really like to keep it that way.