Afbeelding
"My first ever job was working for Amazon back in Italy where I grew up. I was 18 and every time I walked into the building, my heart would skip a beat. I just loved how the warehouse was organised. I think that’s where my dream of working in logistics started. I’d see all those people wearing yellow jackets and thought to myself, I want to be like them. I started looking for a course in logistics so I could learn about the industry and develop my experience in the field. And I wanted to go abroad. My high school had partnerships with companies in Rotterdam and that seemed to trigger my preference for the Netherlands. I did some research and found the Logistics Management programme in Emmen. So here I am – and I’m feeling great about my choice."
Down-to-earth teachers
"The way of teaching here is very different to in Italy, but it works for me. The lecturers are down-to-earth and really professional. For example, back in Italy there’s hardly any contact at all with the lecturers. It’s really formal. Here, there’s a lot of personal contact and if there’s something on your mind, there’s no reason for not talking about it right away. It means I feel really good in this environment. After all, studying can be really stressful, especially for foreign students coming to an unfamiliar place. I think it’s good that NHL Stenden focuses so much on mental health, so if you are having problems, there are coaches you can go to. I think these things are beneficial for your personal development, both now and in the future.’’
Sustainable certificate
"Besides the focus on personal development, I really like the curriculum we have and the subjects we cover. I’m pretty inquisitive and I like the whole range of subjects we’re taught. Obviously, some are more difficult than others but I think that’s a good challenge. The other challenge is working in groups. I didn’t really like collaborating with others at first, but we have to and it’s actually opened my eyes to how much fun it can be and what you learn from it. It can be hard to find the right balance but that’s usually a good thing. It means you challenge yourself and others. One of the best things about the course is getting the Green Belt certificate. The certification proves your knowledge of the circular economy and I’m sure this specialisation will give me a kickstart in my career."
Operations manager
"I’ve got a clear idea of what I want to do as my dream is still to be an operations manager, preferably in the food or pharmaceutical industry. Before I even started my logistics studies, I knew exactly why certain perishable goods had to undergo certain processes and be stored at a particular temperature while others did not. I’ve worked in different roles in warehouses now and I’m confident about managing warehouse-related things. It’s also what I’m learning about now on my degree, but my studies go a step further and not only look at how processes are managed but puts them into the broader perspective of the warehouse and the company. This is exactly the perspective I need as an operations manager, so I can honestly say that Logistics Management is helping me focus on my goal and turning it into a reality."