Meet The People | From garbage truck to marketing: Lars chose his own path

Lars Dirksen's career path hasn't followed the traditional route. Before helping shape AWL's visibility as a Content Creator, he spent his days behind the wheel of a garbage truck, learning lessons that still influence his work today. After high school, he started a degree program, only to realize it wasn’t the right fit for him. He temporarily joined Remondis, earned his commercial driver’s license, and eventually advanced to operating a crane truck. What began as a stopgap job turned into a valuable period in which he not only learned the value of hard work but also discovered that he ultimately needed a greater challenge.

Learning by doing
Working on a garbage truck was varied, physically demanding, and sometimes unpredictable. Days started early and didn’t end until the job was done. During that time, Lars learned what it truly means to roll up your sleeves and get the work done. He also learned how to deal with pressure, change, and setbacks when operations simply have to continue.

“You quickly learn that there’s no point in stressing about everything,” he says. “If there’s something you can do about a situation, you take action. If there isn’t, you have to be able to let it go.”

That practical mindset still helps him every day in his current role. Things don’t always go according to plan, but staying calm and focusing on what can be done often leads to the best outcome.

Looking for growth
After a few years, Lars started to feel the urge to take the next step. Not because he disliked the work, but because he felt ready for a new challenge. He decided to return to school and pursue a degree in Communications. He didn't have a detailed plan, but he trusted himself to figure things out along the way.

Through an internship, he found his way to AWL. It didn’t take long for him to realize he had found the right fit. The combination of technology, storytelling, and brand visibility suited him perfectly. What started as an internship eventually grew into a permanent role as a Content Creator.

Translating technology into value
As a Content Creator, Lars focuses on increasing AWL’s visibility. He creates content that showcases what AWL does and, more importantly, why it matters to customers. Because, in Lars's view, technology is never the end goal, it's the value it creates for customers that matters most.

“We don’t sell a machine simply for the sake of selling a machine,” he explains. “Ultimately, it’s about the value that solution delivers to the customer. Less manual labor, greater efficiency, improved ergonomics, or a stronger competitive position. That’s where the real story lies.”

That is also where the strength of his work comes in. Lars makes complex technology understandable and relevant without losing its technical depth. To achieve this, he works closely with technical colleagues.

“If I understand it myself, I can explain it clearly to others. And afterward, I always have it reviewed. It still has to be technically accurate.”

You don’t need to have everything figured out
Looking back, Lars wouldn't change a thing. His career may not have followed a straight line, but every step taught him something valuable. And that's perhaps the biggest lesson from his journey:

you don't need to have everything figured out from day one. Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you discover along the way.