Karim Vranken

Background

About Karim Vranken

My name is Karim Vranken. I am married and have 2 little princesses at home. The oldest is turning 13, and the youngest just turned 7. Ever since I was 7 years old, I have been fascinated by new technologies. I certainly didn't miss the rise of computers in the early '90s. I graduated as an electromechanical engineer in '99 and immediately started working in that field. There, I built a solid foundation by combining theory and practice in the business world. But I never forgot my passion. New technologies remained a hobby that I pursued in my free time. Around the emergence of the internet through Telenet caught my attention. In 2001, I embarked on that path and began working for "Telenet." This allowed me to gain access to and knowledge of the new techniques they were applying. As you can guess, I turned my hobby into my job. During those 6 years at Telenet, I learned a lot about networks, routers, modems, and more. In 2007, I wanted to take a step further, so I started as a Level 1 Desktop/Support Engineer. In this role, I became more involved with operating systems like Microsoft Windows ('Windows XP'). In 2009, I received an offer to start as an Electromechanical Engineer at "Toyota Parts Centre Europe," and I didn't hesitate to take the opportunity. Although we were a small group, it provided the advantage of exposure to various tasks and learning opportunities. Those nearly 11 years at "Toyota" hold beautiful memories; I truly knew the company inside out. I became one of the veterans. On a sunny day in August 2019, I received an unexpected call from Proximus, saying that my profile matched what they were looking for. Once again, I decided to turn my hobby into my job. In the 11 years since, IT has undergone significant changes. I started as a Level 1 Support Engineer, where I refreshed my IT knowledge and learned new tricks of the trade. After almost 3 years, I had the opportunity to advance to a Level 2 Engineer, where I got to work with the "BIG BOYS." I am currently still in this role and continue to improve and perfect my skills every day. With the rise of AI at the end of 2022, a new passion ignited within me. I saw this as the music of the future – much like the emergence of computers in the early '90s, but on a much grander scale with a more significant impact on our future. Since becoming acquainted with AI and VR, countless doors have opened with possibilities waiting to be discovered. What was once considered impossible has become achievable.