Afbeelding
“After two unsuccessful attempts studying fields that didn't really interest me in the Netherlands, I decided to give up on getting a degree and find a job instead. I was lucky enough to find a job in Emmen working for Apex Tool Group. It meant I gained a lot of experience on how a company operates and I got to work closely with the logistics team. Shortly before my contract was due to end, NHL Stenden launched its bachelor's degree in logistics management – with the added bonus that it focuses on an area I'm incredibly passionate about – sustainability. I enrolled immediately!”
Real life
“One of the benefits of NHL Stenden is that most of the projects we work on are real-life projects. So in the first two years of our studies, we were in contact with real companies that had real logistics problems. This gave me the drive to perform and come up with quality solutions. In one project, our client was a company that had a problem in reverse logistics. As the whole period was focused on reverse logistics, we had to come up with solutions that would motivate customers to return the drums (the packaging) they used to coil up the wires they were selling. The problem was that if the drums were not returned, it created the need to produce more drums, which is not sustainable.”
“Another benefit is the opportunity to go abroad for your minor subjects and internship. I spent my third year in 3 different countries (Bali for my minor on Event Management, Thailand for Global Social Development and South Africa for my internship). It meant I was not only able to grow as a professional in the field of logistics, but also gained an understanding of different cultures.”
“I've gained a better understanding of what culture is and how to adapt having lived and worked in 2 different continents in the span of 10 months”
Logistics in a different context
“I did my internship in Cape Town, South Africa, in a company that produces pepper mills and grinders. I worked in the logistics department, focusing mainly on exports. I handled incoming orders and arranged collection and transport for the orders, which meant I was in constant communication with freight forwarders. I had to create a planning for them to come and collect orders, entered the orders in the system and organised transport for airfreight orders. I also took on an extra project analysing and improving the efficiency of the warehouse processes. Using tools I'd learned in my second year, such as Six Sigma, I was able to create a successful process improvement plan for the company. And given I was working in the field of logistics in a different continent in a company that mainly exports their products globally, I was able to learn about the different struggles and issues these countries have in the field of logistics, both in exporting products or transporting them locally.”
Work skills
“An internship is like a simulation of the challenges we as students will have to face once we graduate. It's a more forgiving environment as you go in to an internship with the intention to learn more about the field as opposed to a job where you are expected to already know what you are doing. And an internship gives you a kind of reality check, so you see how your study actually works in real life and helps you think about whether this is really something you want to do for the rest of your life.”
“My choice of internship was one of the best decisions I could have made. I not only gained experience in my field in a completely different continent where I was faced with different struggles and challenges than I would potentially face if I stayed in the Netherlands, but I was also able to show that I can deal very well with uncertainty. It shows I can adapt to circumstances and that I'm not afraid to take a risk. That’s a very strong weapon in my arsenal when the time comes for me to find a job.”
Life skills and new dreams
“Through my internship, I've also developed my managerial skills. From leading meetings with company management to discuss the progress of my improvement plan, to implementing the discussed changes in the workplace. And I have gained a better understanding of what culture is and how I have to adapt to a certain culture. It's theory we covered in the first years of my studies and I still apply it every day. I believe I now have the understanding and tools to be able to adapt my approach to suit a particular culture.”
“My time in South Africa also revealed a new passion: surfing. I tried it out when I got to South Africa and was immediately hooked. I grew up next to the sea and surfing has only made my love for the ocean even greater. I surfed on an almost daily basis for the whole 5 months of my internship. And now I have a new goal in life: I want to travel to beautiful places and surf every spot this world has to offer.”
To find out more about the programme, check out the Logistics Management programme page or request the programme brochure. Or check out the different international opportunities NHL Stenden offers.