4TUCareerspecial2025

6 OPENING STORY: ‘READ THE LETTER, OTHERWISE YOU WILL BE FOUND OUT’

14 ‘AUTISTIC PEOPLE MAKE GOLDEN EMPLOYEES’

41 ALUMNUS TU/E: DON’T THINK TOO MUCH, JUST DO IT’

Human oversight

“Hey ChatGPT, I am preparing for a job interview with the following job description, what questions should I prepare for?”

It’s a question more and more jobseekers are asking these days. The job application process has changed dramatically in recent years, with both candidates and employers increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to make it through the hurdles of recruitment.

From polishing CVs to crafting cover letters and rehearsing interview questions, candidates are embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to put their best foot forward. On the flip side, employers are using AI to streamline vacancy postings, sift through applications, and even rank CVs based on keyword matches. It’s a double-edged sword: faster, yes—but not without its compromises.

This shift is explored in depth in a recent master’s thesis at UT by Iris Tangermann, who studied how AI is

being used by both applicants and recruiters through a sociomaterial lens. Her research found that while AI certainly enhances efficiency, it often does so at the expense of authenticity and fairness. Both applicants and recruiters expressed a sense of detachment in the process, with decisions feeling more mechanical than meaningful.

‘Your individuality is still your greatest asset’

One of the key concerns raised in Tangermann’s study is the lack of nuance AI brings to complex human judgments. While algorithms are adept at spotting patterns, they’re less capable when it comes to the subtleties of personality, motivation, or cultural fit. This reinforces the need for human oversight—something that can’t be automated without consequence.

Interestingly, both sides of the hiring equation seem to share similar frustrations. Applicants feel as though they’re being judged by a black box, while recruiters acknowledge that AI, while helpful, can sometimes obscure rather than illuminate talent. It seems that in

trying to make recruitment more efficient, we may be making it less human.

So when you ask ChatGPT for interview prep advice, know that you’re not cheating the system—you’re participating in a new kind of recruitment ritual. Just remember that, amid the algorithms and automation, your individuality is still your greatest asset. In an AI-driven hiring world, perhaps the most refreshing thing you can do is simply sound like yourself.

In this magazine, among other things we further explain the phenomenon of applying for a job with the help of AI and the so-called do’s and don’ts.

Enjoy reading!

SCIENCE GETS A HELPING PAW 40

PERSONALISED TRAVEL APP

COLOPHON

This 4TU Career Special is a shared publication by the news editors of Cursor (Eindhoven University of Technology), Delta (Delft University of Technology), Resource (Wageningen University and Research), and U-Today (University of Twente). The magazine came into being in collaboration with industry, and is explicitly aimed towards students who are either in the final phase of their studies, or have just graduated.

COORDINATOR / EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE CAREER SPECIAL

Sandra Pool, U-Today CONTRIBUTORS Saskia Bonger (editor-in-chief Delta); Willem Andrée (editor-in-chief Resource); Marieke Verbiesen (editor-in-chief Cursor); Maaike Platvoet (editor-in-chief U-Today); and (freelance) editors Marieke Enter, Michaela Nesvarova, Tanja Speek, Martin ter Denge, Bruno van Wayenburg, Martina Silbrníková, Wesley Klop en Leonie Kapiteyn, Edith Snelders (Alumnibureau TU/e) and the Alumni Offices and Career Centres of UT, TU/e, WUR and TU Delft.

COLUMN Jenna Zaagsma

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ALUMNUS

‘DON’T THINK TOO MUCH, JUST DO IT’ 41 A

‘VOICING YOUR ASPIRATIONS HELPS SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES’ 19 THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE 27

‘IT’S OKAY TO CHANGE JOBS AFTER TWO YEARS’ 33

COLUMN C

JENNA ZAAGSMA: SURVIVAL BIAS 35 NETWORKING: MORE THAN A BUSINESS CARD PARTY 49 12 22 28 FEA TUR ED!

OPENING STORY: APPLYING FOR A JOB WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 6

INTERVIEW: ‘AUTISTIC PEOPLE MAKE GOLDEN EMPLOYEES’ 14

APPLYING FOR A JOB WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

‘Read the letter, otherwise you will be found out’

UT alumnus and artificial intelligence (AI) expert

Wahbe Rezek is clear: artificial intelligence can certainly be used when writing a cover letter.

‘I recommend it, but keep thinking for yourself otherwise you will be found out.’

add a piece of your own text, so that your style is reflected in the letter of application. It is important that you read the letter carefully, otherwise you will be found out to have used AI. Sometimes, an AI tool interprets a text differently causing the letter to contain inaccuracies or mistakes.’

A MATTER OF TASTE

According to Rezek, you can think of AI as a personal assistant. A helper who does the biggest preliminary work for you. ‘Writing letters is faster and easier this way. About seventy to eighty percent can be done by a tool such as ChatGPT or Copilot, for example, and the remaining twenty to thirty percent you have to do yourself.’

How does it work? ‘You can upload descriptions of vacant positions and ask for a summary or a selection of the five most important points. This provides you quickly with insight into which skills are needed or what work experience is required. You can then compare this with your own CV and then you consider whether the position suits you.’

INACCURACIES AND MISTAKES

If that is the case, you can request the program to write a letter. ‘It is best to

Then it is important to fine-tune. ‘To give your own twist to the writing. You can give feedback, ask for sentences to be adjusted, or you can rewrite some parts yourself. And look at the style. Should it be more businesslike or informal? You can prompt the program to take care of that. Also, you can upload a small piece of text that you have written yourself and tell the AI program: ‘Take a look at this piece of text that I wrote, analyse my style, and rewrite the letter in my style.’ That is a powerful application which will ensure that ChatGPT or Copilot writes the application letter in your style. In the end, you can produce a letter that is to your liking fairly quickly.’

According to Rezek, it will no longer be possible to determine whether AI or a human wrote the letter. ‘There are detection tools, but they do not work properly. In every single case, such an instrument will say that fifty percent was written by artificial intelligence and fifty percent by a human, even though that is not the case.’

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

A major advantage of the use of artificial intelligence is that differences

ABOUT WAHBE REZEK WAHBE REZEK STUDIED INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE. AFTER GRADUATING IN 2017, HE WORKED AS A GLOBAL CHANGE MANAGER AT ING AND LATER AS A PROGRAMME MANAGER. IN 2023, HE STARTED WORKING AS A SELF-EMPLOYED PERSON FOR THE MUNICIPALITY OF AMSTERDAM AND IN THE MEANTIME FOUNDED HIS OWN COMPANY, FUTURE FOCUS. WITH THIS COMPANY, HE FOCUSES ENTIRELY ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND, AS AN AI EXPERT, GIVES TRAINING COURSES AND WORKSHOPS TO COMPANIES SUCH AS HEINEKEN, VODAFONE, THE RIJKSMUSEUM, AND KLM.

between people who do and those who do not have a good pen are levelled. Is that a bad thing? ‘They now stand the same chances. Is the ability to write a letter still a requirement? Or are the skills required shifting towards being able to apply AI properly in your work?’

APPLYING FOR A JOB WITH THE HELP OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

1. UPLOAD THE JOB DESCRIPTION INTO AN AI TOOL AND INSTRUCT IT TO SELECT THE MOST IMPORTANT POINTS

2. UPLOAD YOUR RESUME AND ASK AI TO CHECK IF THE POSITION IS RIGHT FOR YOU

3. IF SO, ASK AI TO WRITE A LETTER OF APPLICATION

4. GO THROUGH THE RESULT FOR ERRORS AND INACCURACIES

5. GIVE FEEDBACK TO THE PROGRAM ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE DIFFERENTLY

6. ADD YOUR OWN FLAVOUR BY REWRITING OR BY ADDING A TEXT YOU HAVE PRODUCED

7. ASK AI TO WRITE THE TEXT IN YOUR STYLE

8. THE RESULT WILL BE A HIGH-QUALITY LETTER

These are questions the answers to which will emerge naturally in the near future. Either way, the advance of AI is going to have an impact on the labour market. ‘Employment agencies are already noticing that the number of applicants for a position has increased enormously in the past two years. Where there used to be ten a week, they are now at fifty. It will just be easier to apply for a job.’

Subsequently, recruitment departments also use tools to make the first selection. ‘A situation arises in which artificial intelligence is the first contact between the two parties. For example, a recruitment and selection agency can draw up a list of ten qualifications. The AI program then acts as a recruiter and

creates a table with a score of the applicants that shows the extent to which they meet the criteria.’

CREATIVITY

Artificial intelligence has become an integral part of our society. ‘It not only affects job applications, but it can also be a required skill. That development is already taking place. At the moment, you need to know how to work with Outlook, for example, but knowing how to work with an AI tool may be added in the future.’

The discussion about creativity and personal input remains. Rezek: ‘This is what discussions are often about. If you only

use AI, you will be found out, because the text will be uninteresting to read and people drop out. Showing one’s own input and ideas will still be essential.’

For the future, Rezek foresees a situation in which that everyone will have an AI assistant. ‘One that you always have with you, as an app on your smartphone, for example. It will get to know you, your preferences and your style. They can order a sandwich for you, make reservations in a restaurant, and also write letters for you.’

‘AI is a handy brainstorming tool’

Artificial intelligence (AI) is also making its entrance into the work of career coaches. Willeke Stukker of the University of Twente is a member of the Digitalisation Committee of the National Network of Career Services and focuses on AI issues. ‘We are exploring and experimenting,’ says the career coach.

‘The student who comes to us still has the same question,’ Stukker begins. ‘They have graduated, have a master’s degree, but what can you actually do with that? And what do I want? Artificial Intelligence helps us to personalise career advice.’

Where coaches used to fall back on standard models or their experience, they can now use tools that provide insight into the labour market. By entering the right prompt and asking good questions, an AI tool shows which positions match a person’s degree and skills. Stukker: ‘It makes the job search easier. It gives suggestions based on study and comes up with concrete positions and vacancies.’

WILLEKE STUKKER

Stukker sees AI mainly as a useful brainstorming tool. ‘It’s there, we use it and check whether the outcome is valid. At the Digitalisation Committee of the National Network of Career Services, of which I am a member, we exchange experiences and explore how artificial

A CRITICAL NOTE

intelligence affects our work and what benefits we can do with it.’

One of those advantages is the use of AI when preparing a resume. Or, as Stukker says, when writing a small profile text on LinkedIn. ‘Which you can do by introducing some qualities and soft skills.’

While AI provides powerful tools for finding a job, the role of the career coach remains indispensable. Technology can analyse data and match functions, but it does not understand emotions, doubts or personal motivations. Stukker: ‘We still have the real conversation, we sense and ask further questions. An AI tool can’t do that.’

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

KIM MIDDEL, CO-ORDINATOR OF TRANSLATIONS AND EDITING AT THE UT LANGUAGE CENTRE PLACES A CRITICAL NOTE ON THE USE OF AI. THE LACK OF ATTENTION TO PRIVACY WORRIES MIDDEL. ‘THE MOMENT YOU RUN A TEXT THROUGH A TRANSLATION MACHINE OR AI-TOOL, IT IS ON THE INTERNET. HOW IS PRIVACY UPHELD? WHAT GUARANTEES DO YOU HAVE? PEOPLE SHOULD CONSIDER CAREFULLY WHAT INFORMATION THEY DO AND DO NOT SHARE, SUCH AS SCIENTIFIC OR PERSONAL DATA.’

WHEN USING AI, IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT THE PROGRAMS INDEPENDENTLY CHANGE TEXTS, ISSUES AROUND PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION ARE A POINT OF ATTENTION. CHATGPT OFFERS NO GUARANTEES FOR THIS. MICROSOFT COPILOT IS NOT LICENSED UNDER THE SAME LICENSE AS OTHER MICROSOFT PROGRAMS; THIS REQUIRES A SEPARATE LICENSE, WHICH DUTCH UNIVERSITIES AND FELLOW UNIVERSITIES S DO NOT HAVE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH COSTS AND PROBLEMS WITH DATA PROTECTION. PRIVACY IS THEREFORE NOT GUARANTEED AT COPILOT EITHER, AND SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH DATA SECURITY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. SO THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT INFORMATION YOU SHARE WITH AI AND WHAT YOU DON’T.

EngD: Invest in yourself by working and learning

Are you looking to gain practical experience after your master’s while continuing to learn? The Engineering Doctorate (EngD) at the 4TU.School for Technological Design, Stan Ackermans Institute, might be the perfect fit. This two-year, salaried program bridges the gap between academia and industry by combining advanced coursework with real-life design projects.

Unlike a PhD, which focuses on academic research, an EngD emphasises the direct application of knowledge. Trainees work on design challenges such as process optimisation or product development while receiving mentoring from both university staff and industry professionals.

THEORY AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

Maas van Apeldoorn, a Computer Science & Engineering graduate from

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), chose the EngD program to build on his theoretical foundation.

‘After doing a master’s, you have a lot of theoretical knowledge, but you still lack practical experience and knowledge of how to put the theory into practice,’ he explains. ‘Besides that, I really wanted to do something with a social impact.

I’m much more concerned about climate change, and I would like to contribute to tackling it.’

During the two-year program, Van Apeldoorn has had the opportunity to work on several projects. ‘I really like the fact that you continue learning for two years in a real-life environment. This allows me to dive more deeply into the techniques used in practice, plus it means I gain useful knowledge

‘I like the fact that you continue learning in a reallife environment ’

and experience to take with me to future roles.’ He also values the international atmosphere: ‘At the start of our EngD program, we had twelve different nationalities in our group of around twenty students.’

BIG PROJECT

Now in his second year, Van Apeldoorn is working on a major project at research institute DIFFER, focusing on the development of new materials to improve hydrogen production.

‘Ultimately, we are contributing to the setup of a lab that can autonomously synthesize new materials, conduct experiments on them and use the results to decide which material it will synthesize next. My project entails working on a simulation environment for that future lab.’

‘For me, the EngD program is the ideal next step after my master’s degree,’ Van Apeldoorn says. ‘You put a lot into it, but you get just as much out of it; it’s very rewarding.’ He emphasises the importance of motivation: ‘To do an EngD, you have to be motivated to want to continue investing in yourself. If you are, then an EngD is tremendously rewarding.’

STAN ACKERMANS INSTITUTE (4TU.SAI)

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DISCOVER THE POSSIBILITIES AT WWW.4TU.NL/SAI OR EMAIL [email protected] FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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FEA TUR ED!

Welcome to your global 4TU alumni network! A strong, tight and worldwide network of Dutch engineers. This network, consisting of alumni from TU Delft, Eindhoven University of Technology, Wageningen University and the University of Twente, is represented in the most prestigious organisations within our different technical fields, but in many cases also in self-funded start-ups. The network, therefore, represents a significant source of skills, contacts, and advice. Welcome

TU Delft for Life

TU Delft alumni: keep developing yourself! You can follow interesting online courses with a 25% discount, get free access to scientific research at the library and expand your network at interesting (company) events. Check out the Career Centre <see page 29> and participate in one of the (online) Career Cafés where recent graduates can ask career related questions to alumni and learn from their experiences. Want to know more? Join on www.tudelftforlife.nl.

Stay connected to WUR!

Once a Wageninger, always a Wageninger. As a WUR graduate, you belong to a worldwide community of more than 68,000 alumni. The WUR community is the place to keep your knowledge up to date, get inspired by our research, and to meet other Wageningers. Check out www.wur.eu/alumni for all information on what we can do for you after graduation and make sure to update your contact details via www.wur.eu/contactform so we can stay in contact with each other.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ALL ALUMNI ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF A MUCH LARGER NETWORK OF OVER 280,000 GRADUATES FROM THE FOUR DUTCH TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES WHICH CONNECTS YOU TO A RICH LEGACY OF INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE. BE PROUD AND SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AT OUR INSTITUTIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE. BESIDES JOINT ACTIVITIES IN THE NETHERLANDS, THERE ARE ACTIVE ALUMNI COMMUNITIES IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, FRANCE, GERMANY, THE NORDICS, SPAIN, SWITZERLAND AND THE USA. JOIN YOUR GLOBAL 4TU ALUMNI NETWORK!

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YOUNG ALUMNI FACE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THAN SOMEONE WHOSE CAREER IS FURTHER ALONG. THEREFORE, YOUNG ALUMNI UNDER THE AGE OF 35 CAN JOIN THE UT YOUNG ALUMNI NETWORK (YAN).

YAN ORGANISES READINGS, WORKSHOPS, NETWORKING DRINKS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE FOCUSED ON PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NETWORKING, COMPANY VISITS AND, OF COURSE, HAVING FUN.

JOIN US! UTWENTE.NL/YAN OR E-MAIL: [email protected]

Connect with TU/e alumni worldwide!

Stay connected with your alma mater TU/e and your fellow study mates by registering on the TU/e Alumni Portal! Explore the benefits of registering at www.tue.nl/alumni and discover what the alumni community can mean for you.  Dive into the alumni community for inspiration on engineering, networking opportunities, and access to exclusive events. Make progress through through connections with TU/e alumni.

‘What began as a big dream soon took shape as we gathered like-minded fellow WUR alumni and laid the foundation of our own institute for Rural development and Sustainability, Rotasi’

ISNAWATI HIDAYAH, ALUMNA INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES. ROTASI WAS HONORED AS BEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT THE ‘INDONESIA’S SDGS ACTION AWARDS 2022’

Uncertain social situations can be particularly challenging for people with autism – and a job interview is a prime example. So how can someone with autism ensure they make a strong impression? And what can employers do in return? Recruiter Sam Fassbender from Autitalent and expert by experience Mireille Howard-Snels from DiversAbility share their insights.

‘Autistic people make golden employees’

SAM FASSBENDER AUTITALENT RECRUITER

Sam Fassbender has been helping people with autism find work every day for the past five years. She completed a specialised training course in Belgium, taught by several internationally renowned coaches. As a recruiter at a job placement agency for people on the spectrum, this is both her area of expertise and her personal mission: ‘I want to make the corporate world more autism-friendly.’

THE BENEFITS OF TRUST

She believes people with autism deserve a fair chance. ‘Research shows that they are, on average, significantly more productive than neurotypical employees – provided that companies trust them and take the right approach. They’re analytical, think outside the box, are straightforward and incredibly honest. On top of that, they’re extremely loyal and fully committed if you give them the opportunity.’

She shares how she has already helped several people secure jobs at TU Delft. ‘For instance, in the Aerospace department’s finance administration team. That’s where they really thrive.’

Fassbender looks for the right match between an autistic candidate and a workplace, and then guides them through the application process. ‘Candidates who register with us first complete an autism-friendly questionnaire. I don’t focus on CVs – I look at what drives someone and what they need. I’ve been trained in interviewing techniques, so I can quickly get to the heart of things. Because I know the employers well, I can usually tell straight away if it’s a good fit. And nine times out of ten, they get invited.’

AUTISM TEMPLATE

When it gets to that stage, Fassbender prepares the candidate with what she calls an ‘autism template’. ‘I try to arrange as much as possible in advance to make the process predictable. So the candidate already knows what the work environment looks like, what the company culture is like, and what the general atmosphere is. I also help them prepare examples from their own life that they can use to answer typical interview questions.’

On the other side, she prepares employers with a brochure full of practical tips: ‘Make it clear in advance who will be attending the interview and what their role is. Provide practical information about how to access the building and parking. Begin the interview with a clear structure, ask closed or clearly defined questions wherever possible, and avoid irony or ambiguity. Give the candidate time to formulate a response and focus on content.’

‘People think you’re some kind of ‘Rain Man’, but it’s different for everyone’

Fassbender supports around seven job applicants per week. If a placement is successful, a colleague takes over to guide the initial work period. ‘At first, they’re seconded through us, but the ultimate goal is a permanent position.’

SHARING TIPS AND EXPERIENCES

Mireille Howard-Snels is a Senior Policy Advisor for Education & Students at TU Delft. She also has autism, ADHD and is intellectually gifted – making her a true expert by experience. ‘I know I struggle with eye contact and might come across as distant. But that says nothing about how well I do my job.’

At TU Delft, she founded DiversAbility, a staff network where, among others, neurodiverse colleagues can share experiences. They also exchange tips on how to navigate workplace situations, such as job interviews. The group now has around sixty members.

‘I always advise people not to open with the fact that they have autism. There’s still too much ignorance. In my experience, people often think you’re some kind of ‘Rain Man’. They see it as a limitation, while in reality autism manifests differently in every individual. My autistic brother, for example, really cannot manage a regular job – but I do just fine, as long as my work environment meets certain criteria.’

NO OPEN-PLAN OFFICES

She describes how she once asked to see her future workspace during a job interview – and was allowed to. ‘That was brilliant, because it let me see where I would be working. I really can’t handle noisy open-plan offices. I also work with noise-cancelling headphones, which really helps reduce sensory overload. But I’m most productive when I’m allowed to work from home.’

PREPARATION IS KEY

She also has tips for neurodiverse jobseekers: ‘Do your research beforehand – find out how the company deals with diversity and autism. But also write down what your autism means in terms of work, and what you need to function at your best. Think in advance about which questions you want to ask during the interview – like I did when I asked to see the workplace.’

MIREILLE HOWARD-SNELS EXPERT BY EXPERIENCE

If all those answers come out positive, you’re in a good place. ‘You’re starting to see HR departments receiving training in this area. As long as people can recognise the strengths you bring –and don’t try to micromanage.’

HORIZON AND STUDENT ONBEPERKT

Besides advising neurodiverse candidates, Howard-Snels also shares tips with HR teams, and is an advisor to student platform Student Onbeperkt (Student Enabled) and the Horizon helpdesk. The first initiative brings together students with disabilities in open dialogue sessions, while Horizon supports students with autism, for example by helping them apply for extra exam time or personalised learning adjustments.

Fassbender has just come out of an interview. ‘Yes, it went brilliantly. I think it’ll lead to a placement. Autistic people really are golden employees.’

Enjoying your job gives you energy and make you feel good about yourself. That is why we challenge you to get the best out of yourself. Our unique VIRO Academy enables you to continue to develop your own talents and abilities and define your own path.

''Het werk is veelzijdig waardoor ik mezelf kan ontwikkelen''

Echt impact maken doe je bij TAUW!

Want net als jij hebben wij een ambitie: toonaangevend zijn op het gebied van (onder andere) Civiele Techniek. Als Civiel Technische held binnen het Ontwerpbureau houd jij je bezig met uiteenlopende vraagstukken op het gebied van civiele techniek. Van dijkversterkingen tot herinrichting, bij TAUW vertalen we plannen naar haalbare ontwerpen.

Aaron vertelt over zijn werk bij TAUW:

Als Constructief Ontwerper bij TAUW heb ik de afgelopen vier jaar aan veelzijdige projecten mogen werken, waaronder bijvoorbeeld het project '3 Gemalen Middelpolder'.

Bij dit project hebben we het ontwerp gemaakt voor de renovatie van gemaal Middelpolder. Op basis van 150 jaar oude bestekken moest ik de bestaande situatie in beeld brengen. Vervolgens is er met veel verschillende partijen voor de aannemer een ontwerp gemaakt.

Binnen TAUW zijn er projecten die jaren lang duren, maar ook kleinere projecten waarmee je tussendoor aan de slag kan. Dat maakt het werk veelzijdig en hierdoor kan ik mijzelf blijven ontwikkelen. De ongedwongen en ontspannen sfeer binnen TAUW ervaar ik als erg prettig!

Wil jij met jouw civiele skills een steentje bijdragen aan een duurzame en vitale leefomgeving voor huidige én toekomstige generaties?

Scan de QR-code en kom ons team versterken!

Aaron Braakman - Constructief Ontwerper

GUUS WIERSMA

TU DELFT

PROJECT COORDINATOR

TU DELFT

‘Voicing

your aspirations helps seize opportunities’

That Guus Wiersma (28) would one day pursue a technical degree was clear from an early age. As a young boy, he had a fascination with bridges, trains, and building structures. His journey led him to Civil Engineering at TU Delft, walking in his father’s footsteps.

After completing his bachelor’s degree, Wiersma enrolled in the Water Management master’s programme. ‘During my bachelor’s, I discovered my interest in water. Water is a versatile topic and crucial in many areas, like climate, drinking water, agricultural irrigation.’ For his thesis, Wiersma researched water availability for smallholder farmers in Ghana.

Just weeks after graduating in March 2023, Wiersma started working as a project leader and research coordinator in Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. Together with local partners, he works on filtration systems that remove fluoride from groundwater. The work closely aligns with his thesis research. ‘While working on my thesis, I told my supervisor I found his job interesting. When my predecessor left, I was asked to apply. That’s how I landed this job even before I graduated.’

It taught Wiersma a key lesson: voicing your aspirations helps seize opportunities. ‘There are more opportunities out there

than you think, just make sure people know what you’re looking for.’

A ROYAL ENCOUNTER

Travelling is a key part of Wiersma’s work. In his very first week on the job, he went to New York to attend the UN Water Conference. Since then, he has frequently travelled to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. His most memorable trip was a recent trade mission in Kenya, where he met the Dutch royal couple.

‘I had a brief conversation with Queen Máxima, who emphasised that collaboration is essential in our sector. A meaningful confirmation of what we do.’

Wiersma is frustrated that politicians often judge international development projects only on their benefit to the Netherlands. ‘Sometimes, you must do things out of compassion. That’s what we do and it feels good to be part of that.’

As for the future, Wiersma prefers not to plan too far ahead. ‘I really enjoy what I’m doing now, and want to keep doing this for a while. Working at the intersection of applied research and international collaboration gives me a lot of energy. Friends sometimes say, ‘You have a really cool job’ and they are right.’

IT traineeship

“Mijn IT-kennis én soft skills maken het verschil”

Luca over zijn weg naar Calco en werken in de IT

Wanneer begon jouw interesse in IT?

Eigenlijk al van jongs af aan. Ik bouwde mijn eigen computers en raakte steeds meer gefascineerd door hoe technologie de wereld vormgeeft. Op de middelbare school koos ik dan ook bewust voor vakken als informatica en wiskunde, met als doel een toekomst in de IT. De keuze voor een bachelor in Informatiekunde aan de Universiteit Utrecht was voor mij dan ook logisch.

Wat trok je aan in een traineeship bij Calco?

De combinatie van praktijkgericht leren en persoonlijke ontwikkeling sprak me direct aan. Na mijn academische studie wilde ik nu ook vooral leren door te doen, en dat is precies wat Calco biedt. Wat me ook opviel, was dat ze verder kijken dan alleen je diploma of IT-kennis. Er is veel aandacht voor wie je bent als persoon — hoe je samenwerkt, leert en met uitdagingen omgaat. Die focus op Soft Skills en de mensgerichte benadering voelden meteen goed.

Hoe ervaarde je de start van het traineeship?

Het begon met een intensieve Crash Course, waarin we niet alleen technische kennis opdeden, maar ook werkten aan soft skills. Die combinatie

vond ik heel waardevol. Ik had al een IT-achtergrond, maar het werd me al snel duidelijk dat zaken als communicatie, samenwerken en omgaan met druk minstens zo belangrijk zijn in deze sector.

Waar werk je nu en wat doe je daar precies?

Na drie maanden startte ik bij NationaleNederlanden als Security Operations Engineer. Daar werk ik nu bijna een jaar. Wat ik bijzonder vind, is dat ik veel van mijn academische kennis daadwerkelijk toepas, zoals datamodellering en beveiligingsprincipes. Tegelijkertijd merk ik hoe belangrijk soft skills zijn in mijn dagelijkse werk: helder communiceren met collega’s zonder technische achtergrond, omgaan met druk, samenwerken in een team.

Wat zou je anderen willen meegeven die overwegen om in de IT te starten?

Twijfel niet te snel aan jezelf. Ik maakte me voorheen vaak zorgen of mijn ervaring en diploma’s wel genoeg waren. Maar juist de combinatie van mijn technische én persoonlijke vaardigheden heeft me gebracht waar ik nu sta.

Het traineeship bij Calco gaf me de ruimte om beide kanten verder te ontwikkelen — en dat heeft echt het verschil gemaakt.

Jouw IT traineeship bij Calco

In twee jaar doorgroeien naar Medior IT’er

Sta op, pak je kans! Bij Calco geloven we dat iedereen uniek talent heeft dat wacht om ontdekt te worden. In enkele maanden leer je bij ons de basis van IT én werk je intensief aan je soft skills — een combinatie die jou als technisch talent onderscheidt in de praktijk. Met persoonlijke begeleiding helpen we je groeien, niet alleen als IT’er

Het Traject

Crash Course

maar ook als professional. Daarna ga je 24 maanden aan de slag bij een van de top 200 bedrijven of andere toonaangevende organisaties. En goed om te weten: 95% van onze trainees blijft daar na afloop van het traineeship in dienst. Klaar om je technische kennis te versterken met skills die je écht verder brengen?

Dit bieden we jou

+ Vast contract + Salaris vanaf dag 1 2

+ €3004,- bruto vanaf inzetperiode

*met kans op 3x salarisverhoging.

+ Persoonlijke begeleiding en veel extra trainingen

+ NS-Business Card + 26 vakantiedagen

FYI

Considering a PhD?

It might be your ideal next step

Doing a PhD offers the rare opportunity to go deep, think independently, and contribute to the frontiers of knowledge — which is exactly what we need in a world shaped by AI and increasing diversity in how we think and work.

If you’re neurodivergent, research can offer a space where your unique perspective becomes a superpower. If you’re wondering how AI might shape your career, a PhD gives you the chance to shape those questions yourself — instead of only responding to them.

That said, a PhD is no walk in the park. Most researchers don’t finish within four years, and the path can be isolating. But there is a way to do it well: by not just focusing on your topic, but also on your process. How you do your PhD is just as important as what you research.

If you’d like guidance along the way, have a look at the Travel Guide to Your PhD, or visit my sites:  www.thedutchphdcoach.com and www.louterpromoveren.nl.

Want to use AI as a career coach? Use these prompts

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology at University College London and chief innovation officer at ManpowerGroup, describes in his article published on Harvard Business Review seven ways to use AI as a career coach.

With the emergence of generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, DeepSeek, and Claude, many job seekers are turning to AI as an accessible, efficient, and personalized alternative to traditional career coaches, even if they are already lucky enough to have a great human career coach. Quantifying the exact degree to which people are now using gen AI for career coaching is difficult. However, some surveys suggest that as many as 65% of job seekers are using AI for help at some point in their job application process.

In his article Chamorro-Premuzic shows how you can use gen AI tools as your own personalized career coach, with practical prompts and strategies to maximize your experience, learnings, and success. Before embarking on a job search or career transition,  it’s crucial to understand your strengths, interests, and values. Gen AI can help guide you through selfreflection exercises and career exploration. Curious about the whole article, scan the QR code.

FACT

THROUGH A A NEW ONLINE PLATFORM CALLED ‘4TU. SCHOOLS’, THE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES OFFER ENGINEERING EDUCATION FOR HAVO AND VWO STUDENTS. IT IS AN INITIATIVE OF THE PRE-UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMES OF THE UT, TU DELFT, TU EINDHOVEN AND WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY & RESEARCH. THE FOUR TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES ARE OFFERING A RANGE OF 41 LESSONS INTENDED FOR STUDENTS FROM 1VMBO TO 6VWO.

WUR alumni

96% of WUR alumni found paid employment of more than 12 hours a week. 39% of the WUR alumni with paid employment are having a permanent contract. 21% of the WU alumni is working abroad.

TIP

VINCENT KARREMANS, VVD STATE SECRETARY FOR YOUTH, PREVENTION AND SPORT, WROTE THE BOOK STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR – HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS WITHOUT EXPERIENCE, MONEY AND NETWORK. WITH ENTREPRENEURIAL STORIES AND UNIQUE INSIGHTS BEHIND THE SCENES, FORMER STUDENT-ENTREPRENEUR VINCENT KARREMANS SHARES THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS AND TIPS FROM YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS.

‘Daring to make mistakes is perhaps one of the most important skills you can have’

GOOD TO KNOW

Start investing

Martijn Rozemuller (53) is CEO Europe at asset manager VanEck. During his studies in Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis and Management at the University of Twente the alumnus became interested in student investment association Duitenberg. And that did him no harm. Nowadays, Rozemuller travels all over the country to provide financial information about investing.

He advises and urges his audience to start investing. ‘Usually it is rich people who invest and own shares. As a result, the gap between rich and poor is widening. In my opinion, everyone should invest.’ Rozemuller wants to reduce the gap between rich and poor by helping people build a financial future. ‘Even people with a small wallet can invest.’

‘Start with a small amount. If you are between twenty and thirty years old, you can do so with fifty or one hundred euros a month, for example. It’s about the long term, because in forty years you can save a nice pension pot.’ Finally, Rozemuller has a golden tip. ‘Stop playing lotteries or gambling on football matches and start investing.

ADVERTORIAL

CBS zet Artificial Intelligence in bij onderzoeksprogramma methodologie

Het CBS verzamelt data, bewerkt en analyseert deze en publiceert erover. Daarbij ontwikkelt het statistiekbureau continu nieuwe methoden om betrouwbare en samenhangende statistische informatie te maken. De inzet van Artificial Intelligence (AI) is daarbij van groot belang. Vanuit de sector Research & Development lichten CBS-medewerkers Vera Toepoel en Reinoud Stoel het onderzoeksprogramma methodologie en de inzet van AI toe.

Een van de methoden waar hard aan gewerkt wordt, is het bouwen van apps om data te verzamelen. Vera Toepoel, hoofd methodologie van het CBS in Heerlen, legt uit: ‘Met het Budgetonderzoek brengen we bijvoorbeeld de consumptieve bestedingen van personen in beeld. Waaraan geven zij hun geld uit en hoeveel geven ze uit? In de huidige situatie houden deelnemers dat bij in een soort dagboek.

Iemand koopt bijvoorbeeld een pond tomaten voor 1,35 euro of een paar sokken voor tien euro. Het is veel werk om dat van alle uitgaven bij te houden. Daarom gaan we dit doen met een app waarbij de respondent simpelweg een foto maakt van de kassabon. Met behulp van AI-technieken lezen we die producten uit.’

VEILIG EN VERANTWOORD

‘Het CBS herkent de kansen, maar heeft ook oog voor de risico’s. Vanuit onze focus op betrouwbaarheid en objectiviteit willen we AI alleen gebruiken als het veilig en verantwoord kan. Wij gaan onderzoek verrichten met als doel AI toepasbaar te maken binnen de officiële statistiek, op een betrouwbare en accurate wijze. Het moet een methode worden die van dezelfde kwaliteit is als onze reguliere methodes of beter.’

GEREEDSCHAPSKIST

Reinoud Stoel, hoofd methodologie van het CBS in Den Haag: ‘Je kunt de

methodologie zien als een gereedschapskist. Een kist met daarin veel manieren om officiële statistiek te maken en om inhoudelijke vragen te beantwoorden. Er zitten bijvoorbeeld methoden in voor het verzamelen en analyseren van gegevens. De methodoloog kent deze en weet welke bij welk onderzoek geschikt is, wanneer een nieuwe ontwikkeld moet worden of wanneer een bestaande moet worden bijgeschaafd. Wij adviseren CBScollega’s op deze vlakken.’

NIEUWE DOELEN

Gezien het belang van methodologie is het zaak om regelmatig bestaande ambities aan te scherpen, nieuwe doelen te stellen en in te spelen op veranderende behoeften en toekomstige ontwikkelingen. Dat doet het CBS om de vijf jaar met een nieuw onderzoeksprogramma methodologie. Toepoel: ‘In het programma voor 2025-2030 zijn zes thema’s te vinden, die ook in het vorige programma stonden en nog steeds

REINOUD STOEL

HOOFD METHODOLOGIE

CBS DEN HAAG

relevant zijn. Dat zijn: big data, data-integratie, informatiebeveiliging, primaire waarneming (vragenlijsten), statistisch modelleren en complexiteit en causaliteit. Daarnaast hebben we nieuwe thema’s: toepasbare AI en communicatie over statistische informatie.’

HISTORISCHE CONTEXT

Stoel plaatst de stap naar AI in een historische context. ‘Binnen het CBS hebben methodologen aan de basis gestaan van veel grote ontwikkelingen. Zij introduceerden decennia geleden de theorie om statistiek te maken op basis van steekproeven. Door een relatief klein maar slim gekozen deel

HENRI FAASDREEF 312

2492 JP DEN HAAG

TEL: (070) 337 38 00

CBS-WEG 11

6412 EX HEERLEN

TEL: (045) 570 60 00

WWW.CBS.NL

van de bevolking een vragenlijst voor te leggen, kun je goede informatie krijgen over de totale populatie. Ook nu worden steekproeven nog veelvuldig ingezet bij het maken van statistiek, van het Vakantieonderzoek tot de Conjunctuurenquête. Later ging het CBS registers gebruiken, bijvoorbeeld de Basisregistratie Personen en het Algemeen Bedrijven Register. Op die manier ontlast je personen en bedrijven, maar er ontstaan allerlei nieuwe vragen. In registers vind je data die niet in de eerste plaats zijn verzameld voor statistisch onderzoek. Hoe bepaal je de kwaliteit hiervan? En hoe combineer je informatie uit registers en vragenlijsten? En nu, bij de stap naar AI, speelt methodologisch onderzoek weer een belangrijke rol.’

BEGRIJPELIJK VOOR IEDEREEN

Het is belangrijk dat gebruikers van de CBS-statistieken de cijfers begrijpen. Het tweede nieuwe thema – statistische informatie communicatie – moet hieraan bijdragen. Stoel: ‘De komende jaren gaan we in ons methodologisch onderzoek de focus leggen op de gebruikers van onze statistieken. Begrijpen zij de informatie en kunnen ze deze correct interpreteren? Zijn er nieuwe vormen van visualisaties te bedenken die onze informatie begrijpelijker kunnen maken? Samen met onze divisie Communicatie & Nieuws hebben we bijvoorbeeld onderzoek gedaan naar hoe we de publicatie ‘Nederland in Cijfers’ kunnen verbeteren. Daarbij hebben we aandacht voor zowel de aantrekkelijkheid van een visualisatie als de methodologische correctheid ervan. Door middel van gebruikersonderzoek gaan we hier verdere stappen in zetten.’

CBS ALS WERKGEVER

HET CBS IS EEN FLEXIBELE

WERKGEVER, DIE BELANG HECHT

AAN IEDERS INBRENG EN MENING.

MET RUIM 2000 COLLEGA’S MET DIVERSE ACHTERGRONDEN

ZIJN WE EEN DYNAMISCHE

ORGANISATIE DIE VOLOP IN ONTWIKKELING IS. ALS JE BIJ HET

CBS WERKT, IS ER OOK EEN GOED ARBEIDSVOORWAARDENPAKKET

VOOR JE. DAARNAAST KRIJG JE

VOLDOENDE MOGELIJKHEDEN

OM JE TE BLIJVEN ONTWIKKELEN IN JE CARRIÈRE. WE BESTEDEN

OOK VEEL AANDACHT AAN

KENNISVERBREDING EN SCHOLING VIA ONZE EIGEN CBS-ACADEMY.

KORTOM, HET CBS BIEDT EEN OPEN EN INTERESSANTE OMGEVING, WAAR JOUW TALENTEN WORDEN GEWAARDEERD.

MAATSCHAPPELIJK RELEVANT

Volgens Stoel zijn bij het CBS circa veertig methodologen in dienst. ‘Zij werken veelvuldig samen met de statistische onderzoekers en data scientists van de inhoudelijke afdelingen. Ook wordt er internationaal veel kennis uitgewisseld met andere statistiekbureaus, zowel binnen de Europese Unie als daarbuiten. Verder zijn er sterke banden met wetenschappers van universiteiten en hogescholen. Daarmee werkt het CBS samen aan onderzoek en zo weten ook studenten hun weg naar het statistiekbureau te vinden.’

DAN XU WAGENINGEN

FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF BEIJING HORTI POLARIS

Future of agriculture

When a Chinese delegation visited the greenhouse complex and research centre

Vertify in Westland in 2013, a translator was needed. Dan Xu had just graduated with a Master’s degree in organic agriculture from Wageningen; he had time on his hands and could help.

He didn’t really know anything about greenhouses at that time. The tour was a revelation to him, introducing him to a whole new method of food production: in a covered greenhouse, with an adjustable climate and light. This proved to be a turning point in his life. Xu got a job at the greenhouse

horticulture company

Royalpride in North Holland province. ‘On my first tour in their greenhouse, I remember being asked by a grower whether a bean plant looked good. I saw a healthy plant with no brown edges on the leaves. That turned out to be wrong. There were far too many leaves, and the plant needed to invest more in flowering. I obviously had a lot to learn.’

After a couple of years a Chinese company asked him to help build and manage a high-tech greenhouse. ‘A big step, but I wanted to bring this technique to China, so I took up the challenge. It was

a three-hectare greenhouse with mainly tomatoes and also some lettuce grown in water.’

EXPECTED TASTE

People in China are used to plants growing in the ground, which feels more natural and better. Xu had to convince many people, including his own family of his plan. ‘The first time we were able to taste tomatoes from our own greenhouse was an important moment. We had planted them in the winter. In China, winter tomatoes come from plastic tunnels in the southern regions, and they tend to be tasteless tomatoes. The first tomato of our first harvest was

for my daughter, who was one year old, and then my employees were allowed to taste them. I was surprised to see everyone enjoy them: the taste was so much better than they expected.’

To teach next generations what the future of agriculture looks like, Xu guides school children in his greenhouse. ‘They are the ones who will be feeding the world. For most of my employees, farming wasn’t their dream job. They opted for agricultural training because of the low costs. I want a generation that chooses it because they believe a better way of farming is possible.’

FEA TUR ED!

FYI

Career Café

The UT Alumni Office regularly organises the Alumni-Student Career Café, a space in which alumni in the Netherlands and around the world share their professional experiences with students. Would you like to participate in the coming editions? Read further and register!

As an alumni-coach, you’ll have the opportunity to share your career experiences during 45 minutes conversation rounds. A small group of students will either physically or virtually ‘sit at your table’ to learn about your career. Normally students will want to know the answers to these questions like: How did you get your first job? Did you encounter any pitfalls while searching for a job?

The online sessions will be on Tuesday 11 of November from 16:00 to 18:00 hours: These sessions focus on alumni and companies that are not located in the East of the Netherlands. We meet In-person at the UT campus - Thursday 13 of November from 16:00 to 18:00 hours: These sessions are for alumni who want to come back to campus or alumni working at companies in the East of the Netherlands.

Check out the website for more information:

Follow us on LinkedIn

Did you know that we have a special LinkedIn page where we share this magazine, news, articles and vacancies? Follow us and don’t hesitate to email the editors of your alma mater with labor market related messages that we can post.

Generation gap or not?

GOOD TO KNOW

WUR offers alumni a variety of programmes to stay involved, from volunteering and mentoring to participating on advisory committees. With your experience, knowledge and skills, you make a valuable contribution to the mission and development of the university. Together, we make an impact on global challenges and strengthen your connection with WUR.

Strengthening through volunteering Milestone TU Delft

The Career Centre is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year! We’re thrilled to inspire current study and future career choices, empowering individuals to take ownership and shape their professional journeys for up to five years after graduation. Our approach includes educating, coaching, informing, and connecting. If you’re a TU Delft alumnus and wondering about your next career step, reach out to us to learn more about our services at www.tudelft.nl/alumni

‘I still feel like a proud Wageninger. My studies in Wageningen have brought me a lot, both professionally and personally’

ROOSMARIJN

KNOL, WEATHERWOMAN AT NATIONAL BROADCASTING NETWORK NOS

FACT

JOBTEASER ON THE JOBTEASER WEBSITE, COMPANIES LOOKING FOR HIGHLY SKILLED EMPLOYEES, INTERNS, OR TRAINEES CAN CREATE AN ACCOUNT WHERE THEY CAN PUBLISH EVENTS AND VACANCIES. STUDENTS WITH AN ACCOUNT CAN ACCESS THIS INFORMATION, FINDING JOB OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS EUROPE. JOBTEASER SIMPLIFIES THE PROCESS OF DISCOVERING A WIDE RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING JOBS, INTERNSHIPS, AND CAREER EVENTS.

This is the time for innovative solutions

She works on improving healthcare with technology. He helps companies find the right experts to tackle all sorts of issues, from recycling furniture plastic to creating a salt battery. Meet two people behind the innovations:

Meike van den Eijnden and Tobias Mooy. At TNO, they make their mark on our time.

‘TNO feels like 20 different companies combined; the knowledge and experts you can find here are impressive.’

Meike van den Eijnden

Meike van den Eijnden, studied biomedical engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology and started at TNO in 2023. ‘The idea of improving healthcare with technological innovation appeals to me. Though after graduating, I wasn’t convinced of pursuing a specialist career. From healthcare to sustainability, it all fascinates me. TNO feels like 20 different companies combined; the knowledge and experts you can find here are impressive.’

Switch domains

She originally started as a data scientist in the domain of medical wearables, and then switched to Defence,

a completely different domain. ‘I discovered that I am a generalist who gains a lot of energy from variety and strategic thinking. This will help me in the future to make conscious choices throughout my career.’

Endless possibilities

‘At TNO, I was surprised by the innovative culture, the connection to important societal issues, the growing diversity including many young professionals, and the vast amount of expertise. A lot is possible if you are proactive. I approached many people to learn more about their department or role, to see what suited me.’

‘I

think it is important to contribute to a sustainable world, something bigger than just myself.’

Tobias Mooy

Tobias Mooy studied Industrial Engineering and Management at the University of Groningen, specialising in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. He started his career at TNO in the Fasttrack Team, which helps startups, scale-ups and innovative companies to grow and increase their impact by accelerating innovation. ‘I connect companies with experts in the organization to tackle all sorts of issues, from recycling furniture plastic to creating a salt battery.’

Entrepreneurial

Tobias has an entrepreneurial character: between his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, he started his own business with a friend. A delivery service for cold drinks in Leiden and Utrecht. For Tobias, TNO perfectly aligns with

Join our team of experts

This is the time to make our world safer, lives healthier and combat climate change. As a starter at TNO, you have many options to make your mark on our time. You can specialise or you can develop in a broader sense. You could become a consultant or scientist. Or maybe you see yourself as an R&D engineer or managing projects. TNO offers you fantastic prospects in which you have a great deal of freedom and responsibility in shaping your career. From the moment you join us, your career development is in the spotlight.

his entrepreneurial side. ‘Besides helping companies grow by accelerating innovation within their startup, scale-up or company, many spin-offs also emerge from TNO. These are companies that originate from innovations developed at TNO, that are now ready for the market.’ Tobias does not rule out working at another unit or for a spin-off in the future.

Make a difference

‘What really impresses me is that everyone here has a strong sense of responsibility and motivation to truly make a difference in their field. From sustainability to medical innovation, you can view innovation from many perspectives here. I cannot think of another company where that would be possible.’

Explore our entry-level positions, traineeships and internships:

LINDA GRAFEN

ALUMNUS UT

PROJECT COORDINATOR AT TMC NOORDOOST

‘It’s okay to change jobs

after two years’

With the help of a career coach, Linda Grafen (30) discovered that her work could focus more on people. Since last year she has taken on the role of full-time project coordinator at TMC Noordoost. She is involved in a range of activities from employee development, training and education to marketing and new projects. ‘I like new initiatives, because I get bored easily.’

After graduating Grafen started working as a research engineer at a research centre focused on thermoplastic composites for the aerospace and automotive industries.

‘I was involved in the development of new sustainable

repair methods. Although repairing materials has a high level of sustainability, it clashed with my own social conscience. It’s still the aviation industry. I struggled with that. In addition, I experienced research as lonely, since you

are not working in a team.’ She describes herself as someone who is not scared of change and appreciates a challenge, so she decided to keep looking. Through a friend, she came into contact with TMC, a (high) tech

consultancy organisation where employees work for many different clients on a project basis. TMC sent Grafen to work for a company in Deventer as Lead Developer Engineer in the heat pump systems

department. That organisation wasn’t a match for her either. ‘It was a relatively large company, not that it was impersonal, but in my current work I know what everyone is doing and where my colleagues are.’

MORE ‘PEOPLE’ NEEDED

‘As a TMC employee, you are entitled to a budget for personal development and a coach. I took advantage of that. While sparring, I realised that I needed more ‘people’ in my work environment. Technical engineering is very interesting, but so is the people side.’ That is why she started teaching Professional Skills at the University of Twente for three days a week while continuing to work on improvement and innovation projects within TMC for two days. ‘But two jobs with a lot of responsibilities and working fifty hours a week: that wasn’t right either.’

In her current job as a project coordinator, she is more at home and always has many irons in the fire. ‘At a smaller

company, you can work outside the box. For example, I’m taking on the marketing, because I think it’s fun and that’s possible.’ In addition, she supports employees who want to start their own business, sets up traineeship programmes and is no longer a hardcore engineer. ‘And I don’t really miss it at all. I felt like a penguin at times. They swim very well, but hardly make any progress on land. I finally left the land and took the jump into the sea.’

But no one tells you about that search, says Grafen. ‘During your study, it’s mainly about the technical content.

Of course that is good, but there’s so much more to it when you enter the job market. Colleagues you spend forty hours a week with. Travel time counts. Your moral ambition. And you may think you’ve found the perfect job on paper, but in practice it’s disappointing.’

Around her, she sees that people settle at that point. ‘They

ABOUT TMC

TMC WAS FOUNDED 24 YEARS AGO IN EINDHOVEN. FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS, THE NORTHEAST NETHERLANDS BRANCH HAS HAD OFFICES IN BOTH HENGELO AND GRONINGEN. SINCE THIS YEAR, THERE IS ALSO AN OFFICE IN ARNHEM. A TOTAL OF 200 PEOPLE WORK ON PROJECTS AND 26 PEOPLE IN THE OFFICES.

TMC OFFERS EMPLOYEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMBINE A PERMANENT CONTRACT WITH ENTREPRENEURSHIP. ‘THERE IS SUPPORT TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS,’ GRAFEN EXPLAINS. ‘THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY REMAINS WITH THE PERSON. TMC HAS NO STAKE. WE STAND FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS HOW WE CREATE OUR OWN CUSTOMERS. NOT THAT IT’S OBLIGATORY TO TAKE PEOPLE AWAY FROM US, BUT THE NETWORK IS THERE.’

conclude: working life is not fun. Full stop. Such a shame. Above all, keep going, keep looking. It’s okay to switch jobs after two years. You will very quickly be absorbed by everyday life with its obligations. Even when renting a house, a contract is required. And at the end of the day, you do want that house. Therefore, make sure the job you have is right for you. That’s what I like about TMC, you get the opportunity to try different things but with a permanent contract including career coaching. ‘

‘The job is a combination of research

and AI’

Gabi Ras (32) has been working as an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Scientist at research company KeyGene since 2022. According to her, the company is right in between academia and industry. ‘There is room for research, and my work is always societally relevant.’

After Ras successfully completed her PhD at Radboud University Nijmegen, she made a list of problems for which she wanted to offer solutions. ‘I asked myself: which are the most important things to work on? Which problems appeal to me? The processing of refuse is one of them, for instance. Waste is really a huge problem, but so are food and supplying food.’

She started looking for suitable companies. ‘Just through LinkedIn, by clicking ads for vacant positions.’ There, she stumbled across KeyGene. ‘I had never heard of them, but the company stood out. The job concerned a combination of genetic biotechnology, research and AI. I could see myself doing it.’

She has now been working for a few years and is actively working on algorithms and methodologies. ‘To give you an example: suppose you have an app that can recognise objects. You use it to scan a photo of a tomato, but the app recognises the object as an apple. Not being able to tell the difference between these two objects is disadvantageous if, for instance, you want to count the tomatoes you have harvested. If half of the tomatoes are recognised as apples, you will end up with the wrong count.’

Ras is studying the entire methodology behind such applications. ‘How do you

make a computer understand a photo of a tomato in the first place? Which algorithms are required? And when is the application good?’ She compares it to a recipe: ‘If you add the right ingredients, your meal will taste good. That is how it works with this type of apps.’

With her background being a bachelor’s degree in Knowledge Engineering, a master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence and a PhD, she is able to assess what is needed for the development of an application as well as assessing the result.

KeyGene is all about technology innovation for improving crops such as vegetables. ‘We are involved in supporting the development of new types of plants or improving existing species.

You want the quality of the plant to be as high as possible.’

As a young professional, one is assigned a mentor at KeyGene. ‘This is someone with the same background that you have, to whom you can turn with questions. Furthermore, the working atmosphere is informal. The company is highly specialised: you can ask anything, and no one will be surprised if you do not know something.’

‘The balance between practice and theory is what I like the most. We develop computational tools that need to be used in the future, so you always take that into account while you are doing the research. You apply your research in a targeted manner and that often leads to interesting innovations.’

SURVIVAL BIAS

In my graduation supervisor’s room is a poster by VHTO (a Dutch initiative to stimulate more female participation in technical professions). It has many colourful illustrations of the hurdles that girls and women will encounter in their technical career: stereotypical toys, the myth of the (male) maths knack, a lack of role models, underestimation during the choice of curriculum, a minoritised position during studies, and sometimes a non-female-friendly workplace. Conclusion: we miss out on half of the technical talent. Fix the system, not the girls.

‘Do you recognise the hurdles?’ she asks, as I’m studying the poster. ‘No,’ I reply. Tap, tap, tap. For a moment, I think she didn’t hear me. Until she says, without looking up: ‘Survival bias.’ I’m left speechless in her room. She’s got me. Maybe that’s why she frowns when I speak lightly about the ‘medicine girls’ in my science class. The remark lingers.

I think back on how I cried when I got a barbie doll as a little girl, while I asked for nails to keep working on my hut in the dunes. On my mentor, who enthusiastically dragged me along to the Science Olympiad. On my history teacher, who, despite me scoring a 9, advised me not to choose History, ‘Jenna, you’re a beta.’

On my Technical Medicine bachelor, where I had to make an effort to find male group members between the 72% female students.

I indeed didn’t see the hurdles, because I had already survived them. I only recognised the lacking female role models. My first real one, I met during my studies at University of Twente. My cellular biology teacher started a lecture by sharing that she was a little tired, she had toiled last night to replace the oven light by herself. She talked about the search for the right light, the grumpy man in the shop, and the continuity testing of the parts. In that moment, I realised: that’s how I want to be. Shortly thereafter, I started tinkering on my bike, and picking up DIY jobs on the student scouts hut. Hurdle taken. And now? You read this column. That means that you, like me, have already overcome most hurdles. For the last big hurdle, the at times female-unfriendly workplace, I don’t have any tips yet, sadly. They are very welcome, however, because that same poster told me that 65% of technically trained women eventually leave their profession.

Here’s what I do know: through my survival bias, I can now be the role model I used to miss myself. And you, with a technical education, too. Encourage that niece who loves Legos, even if others rather give her a doll. Speak at your (future) children’s primary school about your work, even when you think they’d rather hear a fireman. And most importantly: show that you’re proud of your technical work, to both boys and girls. That’s how we build a world in which we fix the system, not the girls. And if we manage that, an oven light won’t be such a fuss.

Jenna Zaagsma

Master student of education in beta sciences and biomedical technology at the University of Twente.

Noord-Holland zoekt jou

Noord-Holland gaat de komende jaren sterk veranderen.

Om dit goed te doen, zoeken we technische specialisten.

Word jij onze toekomstige technisch adviseur op het gebied van civiele techniek, werktuigbouwkunde, elektrotechniek of wegenbouw? Onze adviseurs brengen hun kennis in bij het bouwen, vervangen, renoveren, beheren en onderhouden van onze infrastructuur en alle installaties die daarbij horen.

Of ben jij misschien onze aankomend technisch manager, projectmanager of omgevingsmanager?

En stuur je leveranciers, aannemers en ingenieursbureaus aan. Of je laat zien hoe de infrastructuur van Noord-Holland steeds verbeterd.

Naast techniek, zoeken we ook specialisten op het gebied van bodem, water en landbouw. Bij de provincie Noord-Holland bouw je mee aan je eigen toekomst en die van bijna 3 miljoen inwoners. Inspirerend. Innovatief. Duurzaam. Urgent.

Doorgroeien

Als nieuwe collega krijg je alle ruimte om je ambities waar te maken. Bijvoorbeeld met een ruim persoonlijk opleidingsbudget van € 6000,- en verschillende leertrajecten. Binnen de provincie zijn veel mogelijkheden om door te groeien. Je kunt je tijd vaak flexibel indelen en je kiest in overleg de werkplek die bij jou past.

Je OV-kosten worden geheel vergoed en in je salaris zit een Individueel Keuzebudget van 22% waarmee je zelf bepaalt of je extra verlof of een fiets koopt en wanneer je vakantiegeld betaald krijgt.

Benieuwd of we bij elkaar passen?

Kijk op www.noord-holland.nl/werkenbij of mail onze recruiters Sevim, Ellen en Richard op [email protected] tav ‘recruiters’.

START-UP: MAPS UNTOLD

Personalised travel app

In 2018, Dennis van Ravenstein competed in the TU/e Contest, where Maps Untold earned him the audience award. Ultimately, he decided to quit his studies to pursue his dream: launching his own startup. Now, seven years later, his tool – a sort of “Tripadvisor on steroids” – is being used commercially for the first time.

AUDIENCE AWARD

Maps Untold is a tool that provides hotel and holiday park guests with personalised recommendations for local hotspots. In March, former TU/e student Dennis van Ravenstein launched the tool on partner channels such as the Great Stay app, a platform for over five hundred hotels and holiday parks. ‘Maps Untold provides recommendations for things to do in the area, fully customized to your needs.’

The idea came from co-founder and TU/e alumnus Gaby

Gomes Branco. ‘During a study trip to St. Petersburg she spent an hour on Google Maps and TripAdvisor searching for a place to have a drink, to end up in a bar where the beer cost eight euros. Way too expensive for a student.’

Gomes Branco and Van Ravenstein decided to find a solution together. ‘Personalisation has been the standard in many sectors, but not in leisure. Although the technology is available.’ Even before they had a product, the two entered the TU/e Contest, were they won the audience award for their idea. In their spare time, the two continued to tinker with the tool. That was, until Van Ravenstein decided to quit his studies in Industrial Engineering during his third year. While studying, he worked at a friend’s family business. ‘I learned much there than at university. When I started thinking about how best to use my time, I decided to quit my studies.’

The moment Van Ravenstein took this bold step, Maps Untold gained momentum. ‘I started reaching out to companies, who gave positive feedback. One investor had been waiting for a tool like ours. Everything came together: technology, network and demand.’

DEEP LEARNING

Under the hood of the tool is a deep learning model with lots of data. ‘Including reviews, menu and prices. But also the atmosphere and interior design of a place.’ Guests can enter their favorite restaurant, museum or hotel to receive recommendations for similar places. The user’s privacy is safeguarded in this process, says Van Ravenstein. ‘We don’t ask for external data, just your favorite hotspot.’

Meanwhile, the company has raised investments from the Leisure Development Fund and Rabobank, among others. Maps Untold receives a commission per completed reservation at a restaurant or other hotspot. In five years, Van Ravenstein wants Maps Untold to be integrated in tourist platforms worldwide. ‘When we reach 250,000 monthly users this year, we will launch a consumer tool as well.’

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ELINE VISSER STUDEERDE

TECHNISCHE NATUURKUNDE AAN DE TU EINDHOVEN EN WERKT NU

VOOR HAAR TWEEDE OPDRACHT

BIJ DE DIRECTIE INTERNATIONAAL

BELEID BINNEN HET MINISTERIE VAN ONDERWIJS, CULTUUR EN WETENSCHAP (OCW).

‘Al tijdens mijn studie had ik het gevoel dat ik iets goed wilde doen voor de wereld. Maar waar begin je in het maatschappelijke werkveld? Via een vriendin hoorde ik positieve verhalen over het

Rijkstraineeprogramma. Het is enorm populair. Gelukkig had ik een goede intrinsieke motivatie en zijn technische studies gewild. Dankzij het trainee opleidingsprogramma werk je een dag per week aan je persoonlijke ontwikkeling, samen met de andere trainees van andere ministeries. Dit is een leuke groep, waarmee we ook vaak samen dingen ondernemen. Ook zijn de arbeidsvoorwaarden goed, al motiveert geld me niet. Via het Individueel Keuzebudget kun je voordelig sporten, extra verlof opnemen of je studieschuld aflossen.

Tot nu toe ben ik heel blij met mijn keuze voor de Rijksoverheid. Voor mijn eerste opdracht werkte ik binnen de adviesraad voor wetenschap, technologie en innovatie aan een advies over publieke onderzoeksinstituten in Nederland. Nu zit ik bij internationaal beleid van OCW. Hier werk ik aan de internationale kennis- en talentstrategie. Voor een volgende opdracht lijkt het me ook gaaf om naar het buitenland te gaan, bijvoorbeeld bij de VN in New York of op een ambassade. Na het traineeship heb ik in een korte tijd veel

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gezien en geleerd. Een mooie basis om verder aan de slag te gaan bij de Rijksoverheid.’

HANS TRIP STUDEERDE BOUWKUNDE

AAN DE TU DELFT, WAS VAN 2017 TOT 2019 RIJKSTRAINEE EN WERKT

NU ALS SENIOR STAFADVISEUR VOOR DE KONINKLIJKE MARECHAUSSEE OP CURAÇAO.

‘Kennis en expertise vanuit een technische hoek is binnen de Rijksoverheid zeker welkom. Ik kan bijvoorbeeld goed vanuit een technische planning werken, met een projectmatige blik. Toen ik aan het Rijkstraineeprogramma begon, was ik een van de weinigen van een technische universiteit. Het was eerst ook wel een beetje een cultuurshock, maar al snel een warm bad. Alle trainees zitten nog in dezelfde fase tussen studeren en werken in. Het traineeship geeft je de kans om rustig te kijken wat er bij je past. Je wordt gestimuleerd om beleid en uitvoering te combineren.

Zo kom je er al snel achter hoeveel de Rijksoverheid te bieden heeft. In eerste instantie richtte ik me vanuit mijn studie binnen het Rijksvastgoedbedrijf op het energieakkoord. Voor mijn tweede opdracht ontdekte ik de meer beleidsmatige kant van het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken binnen de directie bouwen en energie. In de derde opdracht kreeg ik de kans om binnen het brexit team te werken. Op dat moment een enorm relevant dossier met hoge werkdruk. Wie had dat verwacht met mijn studie Bouwkunde? Uiteindelijk stroomde ik voor het einde van mijn traineeship uit naar een vaste baan bij het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken. Inmiddels woon en werk ik met veel plezier op Curaçao. Hier ben ik verantwoordelijk voor strategische keuzes van de Koninklijke Marechaussee in het Caribisch Koninkrijk.’

OOIT STUDEERDE EPPO BRUINS ALS NATUURKUNDIGE MET EEN SPECIALISME EXPERIMENTELE KERNFYSICA. NU IS HIJ MINISTER VAN ONDERWIJS, CULTUUR EN WETENSCHAP. HIJ WEET

DUS ALS GEEN ANDER WAAROM

JUIST BÈTA’S GOED MEE KUNNEN

WERKEN AAN EEN MOOIER EN EERLIJKER NEDERLAND.

WAT VINDT U VAN HET

RIJKSTRAINEEPROGRAMMA?

‘Het is goed dat we belang hechten aan de ontwikkeling van startende collega’s. Met dit programma bieden we net afgestudeerde mensen de kans goed voorbereid het verschil te gaan maken binnen de overheid. Daarbij zijn alle studierichtingen welkom, voor een brede instroom van jonge talenten en perspectieven. We zien dat mensen met een sociaal-wetenschappelijke achtergrond veel eerder denken over een carrière in het publieke domein dan bèta’s. Juist het toevoegen van een paar bèta’s aan het corps van beleidsmedewerkers zou kunnen leiden tot een grotere diversiteit aan denkstijlen.’

WAAROM IS HET RIJKSTRAINEEPROGRAMMA INTERESSANT

VOOR BÈTA’S?

‘Als bèta kun je op allerlei manieren een betekenisvolle bijdrage aan de samenleving leveren. Vaak denken bèta’s daarbij aan de kansen in het bedrijfsleven, zoals de hightech sector, civiele techniek of de chemische industrie. Werken bij

de overheid staat veel minder op het netvlies, terwijl je ook daar als bèta je talenten kunt inzetten. Je ontmoet veel verschillende mensen en je werkt aan heel complexe maatschappelijke problemen waarvoor geen pasklaar antwoord is. Dat vraagt - naast je specifieke bèta-skills - ook veel doorzettingsvermogen, bredere vaardigheden en persoonlijkheid.’

WAAROM ZOUDEN BÈTA’S OP HET RIJKSTRAINEEPROGRAMMA MOETEN SOLLICITEREN?

‘Ik weet niet precies hoe je een bèta definieert en of een bèta echt op een ‘andere’ manier denkt, maar het lijkt me het experiment zeker waard om hier en daar eens een wiskundige, natuurkundige of techneut toe te voegen aan het leger van bestuurskundigen, sociologen en economen. Zelf merk ik dat ik denk in systemen, analogieën, verhoudingen, schattingen, ordes van grootte. Ik weet niet of dat typisch bèta is, maar vanuit mijn N=1 experiment merk ik dat het waardevol is om op een wat systemische manier naar de werkelijkheid te kijken. Ik ervaar het als een voorrecht om de publieke zaak te mogen dienen en probeer iedere dag Nederland een beetje mooier en eerlijker te maken. Als bèta kijk je net een beetje anders naar wat er gebeurt in ons land en in de wereld. En daarmee kun je misschien wel relatief veel invloed hebben en zo heel tastbaar en zichtbaar bijdragen aan het goede.’

START-UP:

Science gets a helping paw

The Wageningen animal scientist Evelien Bos developed a protocol for home testing pet food, a method that is both animal-friendly and scientifically robust. She didn’t want that knowledge just to become a report gathering dust on a shelf, so she set up the Pet Panel.

Dog-food and cat-food manufacturers regularly test their products for tastiness and digestibility. That is often done using animals kept specifically for that purpose in test facilities. This has advantages, such as standardized test conditions and researchers supervising the testing. But how representative is that situation for the real world of pet dogs and cats with their human owners at home? Wouldn’t it be better to have a real pet as the experimental guinea pig?

This was the subject of animal scientist Bos’s PhD research. She developed a protocol that lets the owner test the pet food at home in a way that is both animal-friendly and scientifically robust. ‘Even when I was doing that research, I was getting lots of requests from manufacturers to do home tests,’ she says. ‘I wasn’t in a position to do that then, but it got me

PET PANEL FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO JOIN THE TEST PANEL WITH YOUR PET, GO TO PETPANEL.NL

thinking, especially since I didn’t want my research findings to just gather dust on a shelf somewhere. My aim is to change the market standard.’

PET PANEL

So she and two business partners set up Pet Panel, which links manufacturers who want to test their pet foods to a test panel that now has over a thousand animals. Pet Panel focuses mainly on the pet food’s tastiness — after all, the pet has to want to eat the product — and digestibility.

Carefully weighed portions of food, adjusted to meet the animal’s energy requirements, are sent to the pet owner’s home. The owners are not told what product they are testing in order to avoid the ‘Clever Hans’ effect — named after a horse that was supposed to be able to count but in fact responded to tiny changes in its owner’s facial expression. The pet owner then notes down what the animal eats and keeps a diary recording their pet’s behaviour. Pet Panel uses faecal samples to determine the nutritional value and digestibility. The samples are also very useful in determining the health aspects of the pet food. ‘For example, the excrement contains certain volatile fatty acids and immunoglobulins that serve as a good indicator of gut health,’ explains Bos.

In addition, she is working as a researcher on developing an indigestible marker that will give an even better understanding of the health aspects. That is in line with the direction Pet Panel is taking. ‘Our test panel contains animals from a wide range of different breeds and in varying sizes, which lets us gather information about the Dutch pet population as a whole. We can also create representative test panels for a specific group of animals.’

MEES DE ROIJ VAN ZUIJDEWIJN ALUMNUS TU/e

FOOD INNOVATOR AT TU/E

‘Don’t think too much, just do it’

After completing his bachelor’s program in Industrial Design, Mees de Roij van Zuijdewijn decided to pursue his passion for cooking and ended up in the hospitality industry, where he specialised in 3D food printing.

De Roij van Zuijdewijn found himself spending more and more of his time in the kitchen, experimenting with various dishes and happily organising dinners for friends. ‘But it was only during the pandemic, when I had more time, that this hobby really took off,’ he says with a laugh.

To combine his favorite hobby with his studies, he decided to work in a restaurant for his

final project. That turned out to be a brilliant move; at the Michelin-starred restaurant Zarzo in Eindhoven, he immersed himself in the world of 3D food printing. This involves printing edible purees layer by layer into creative 3D shapes.

‘A technique that opens up countless possibilities,’ he says. ‘And it also helps reduce food waste because you can use leftover products in the purees.’

EXPERIMENTING

After graduating, he started working at restaurant BUNKR, initially full-time as chef de partie. There, he didn’t just work in the kitchen – he also spent one day a week focusing entirely on experimenting with 3D food

printing. ‘Thursday was printing day,’ he says with a smile. The combination of technology and creativity turned out to be exactly what drives him.

Although he is now no longer a full-time employee at BUNKR, he still occasionally works there on the side. It was this experience at the restaurant that further fueled his passion for food innovation. And this passion led him to his next step: the master’s program in Innovation Management at TU/e. ‘I realised that I needed more theoretical knowledge to take my ideas to the next level. That’s why I started this master’s program – so that I will be able to make a real impact in the food industry.’

‘JUST DO IT’

He has a clear goal in mind: next year, he wants to advance at an innovative food company.

‘Printing is just one of many exciting techniques in the kitchen of the future,’ says Mees.

‘I want to keep experimenting and contributing to more sustainable, efficient and creative ways of producing food.’

His story shows how important it is to follow your heart, even if your path is not straightforward. His advice for students and young alumni is simple: ‘Don’t think too much, just do it. You may not know exactly where you’ll end up, but if you do something with conviction and enthusiasm, everything will eventually fall into place.’

De voordelen van werken bij ChipSoft

Bij ChipSoft krijg je meer dan een leuke baan. We zorgen goed voor onze mensen, met aandacht voor gezondheid, groei en werkplezier. Denk aan sportfaciliteiten, gezonde maaltijden, volop ontwikkelkansen én leuke activiteiten met collega’s. Van sportieve uitjes tot informele borrels: bij ChipSoft werk je in een prettige, energieke omgeving waar je jezelf kunt zijn én ontwikkelen.

Interne evenementen en activiteiten

Get togethers en borrels

Elke maand organiseren we een Get Together, waarbij een collega een workshop geeft over zijn of haar passie. Denk aan koken, golf, fotografie of zelfs imkeren. Inspirerend én verbindend. We sluiten de maand af met een gezellige vrijmibo om successen te vieren en informeel bij te praten met collega’s van andere afdelingen.

Sporten verbindt

Gezondheid én verbinding is belangrijk. Daarom organiseren we regelmatig sporttoernooien zoals een padeltoernooi of basketbaltoernooi en doen we mee aan externe sportevenementen. Wist je al dat we een fantastische sportschool hebben op ons hoofdkantoor, inclusief begeleiding? Nieuwsgierig naar de mogelijkheden? Lees dan snel verder!

Kennissessies

Tijdens kennissessies delen collega’s hun kennis over onderdelen van ons product. Dit stimuleert samenwerking, kruisbestuiving en innovatie. Zo blijven we elkaar én ons product continu verbeteren.

Zorg voor ontwikkeling bij de Academy

Persoonlijke en professionele groei vinden we belangrijk. Via de ChipSoft Academy kun je trainingen volgen in soft én hard skills, van communicatie tot technische verdieping. Denk aan workshops over effectiviteit, feedback geven en leiderschap, maar ook technische trainingen voor developers. Daarnaast is er een online leeromgeving met video’s en e-learnings waarmee je zelfstandig kunt bijleren wanneer het jou uitkomt. Je krijgt bovendien jaarlijks €1.000 opleidingsbudget voor externe trainingen of leerplatformen. Samen met je teamleider bepaal je hoe je dat inzet. Voor advies kun je altijd terecht bij de Academy.

Gezond genieten bij het ChipCafé

In het ChipCafé geniet je elke dag van gezonde, gevarieerde maaltijden: van ontbijt en lunch tot een warme avondmaaltijd. Het menu wisselt regelmatig en er is altijd ruime keuze, ook voor vegetariërs. Zo hoef je minder na te denken over boodschappen en koken, en houd je meer vrije tijd over voor jezelf of je gezin. Wel zo makkelijk én lekker.

Train je fit bij TopFit

Blijf fit in onze eigen sportschool op het hoofdkantoor in Amsterdam. Train zelfstandig of doe mee met groepslessen, zoals circuittraining of yoga, gegeven door onze personal coaches. Geen idee waar je moet beginnen? Ons TopFit-team stelt graag een persoonlijk trainingsschema op, inclusief voedingsadvies. Zo blijf jij energiek, gefocust en in balans – ook op drukke dagen.

Een warm welkom

Start je bij ChipSoft, dan begin je met een introductiedag. Je leert andere starters kennen, krijgt een rondleiding door het kantoor en maakt kennis met onze directeuren.

We zorgen voor een persoonlijke en soepele start, zodat jij je snel thuis voelt in je nieuwe rol.

Kennismaken met ChipSoft

Op je eerste dag staat kennismaken en gezelligheid centraal. Dag twee duik je in onze software HiX via een introductietraining. Daarna volgt een masterclass over de verschillende afdelingen binnen ons bedrijf. Zo ben je goed voorbereid en klaar om écht te beginnen.

Ready for take off ?

Kom in contact met onze Corporate IT Recruiters via [email protected] of 020 493 90 00

Of bekijk hier onze vacatures!

Elke dag € 2,5 miljoen ophalen voor goede doelen?

Zet jouw techtalent in voor een betere wereld!

Bij ons maak je impact met je werk. Wij zijn de Postcode Loterij & VriendenLoterij, onderdeel van de Postcode Lottery Group. Wij organiseren loterijen om zoveel mogelijk geld op te halen voor honderden goede doelen wereldwijd.

Afdeling Group Tech is de IT-kracht achter alles wat we doen Als Java Developer bouw je mee aan de ruggengraat van onze organisatie. Liever werken aan de front-end? Als React Specialist ontwikkel je websites die dagelijks door miljoenen deelnemers worden gebruikt. Full Stack Developers verbinden alles tot een krachtig geheel en als Data Engineer blijf je ons internationale dataplatform optimaliseren. Wat jouw functie ook is: bij ons werk je samen met 150 collega’s in een innovatieve, internationale omgeving met ruimte voor flexibiliteit en ontwikkeling.

Benieuwd naar jouw mogelijkheden? Kijk op werkendoejebij.nl/group-tech of scan de QR-code.

START-UP: ROCSYS

How to innovate in a new market?

In 2019, Crijn Bouman, alumnus TU Delft, founded Rocsys to develop a robot that automatically plugs in eletric vehicles using computer vision and AI. Here are five tips from a serial entrepreneur.

1. START SIMPLE, IT WILL GET COMPLICATED LATER

‘In my final year at university, I decided to develop a hydrogen moped. The first issue I encountered was safety: nobody wants hydrogen gas cylinders in their home. Hydrogen is also particularly prone to leaking, so storage and transport would also be a problem. Finally, fuel cells are incapable of delivering high peak power and would therefore have to be paired with a battery. At some point, I realised that projects tend to get more complex as they progress, and this has been the case in all my other development projects. So start simple.’

2. FIND THE FALLING COST CURVE

‘We use computer vision, AI and soft robotics. These three technologies are getting progressively cheaper, so we’ll be able to upgrade charging infrastructure cheaply and easily by the time autonomous driving has become widespread ten years from now.’

3. BLATHERING SCEPTICS ARE A GOOD SIGN

‘I know I’m in the right zone when I run into sceptics wherever I go. When we launched Epyon, we heard a lot of people say: ‘Electric cars? I’ve never seen one in my life.’

4. FIND PEOPLE WHO AREN’T LIKE YOU

‘When you first launch a startup, you need innovators. As the technology evolves, however, you’ll need people with other skill sets, such as perfecting the technology you’ve developed. A team of five innovators will come up with a brilliant new idea every day but they’ll get nothing done. You have to surround yourself with people who are different from yourself.’

5. SOLVE A MYSTERY

‘One of Epyon’s San Francisco-based customers had bought a raft of chargers but was rather secretive about how they were going to use them, so I just decided to drop by during a trip to San Francisco. I found them in a large warehouse, a test track for autonomous vehicles, and sitting in the corner was a man whose sole task was to plug in cars returning from their trip. I jokingly told them they should automate this job too, and that ended up being one of the insights that sparked the idea for Rocsys.’

A LONGER VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN TU DELFT MAGAZINE PIONEERING TECH HOW TO INNOVATE IN A NEW MARKET?

TIJD VOOR EEN BAAN BIJ

DEFENSIE ZONDER UNIFORM?

Dat kan ook als burgermedewerker bij bijvoorbeeld Commando Materieel en IT (COMMIT). Je draagt dan geen uniform, maar werkt vanuit je eigen vakgebied aan vrede en veiligheid, samen met militairen. Zo maak je jouw specialisme nog specialer.

DPO EN het KPU-bedrijf

Defensie Pijpleiding Organisatie (DPO) en het Kleding- en Persoonsgebonden Uitrustingbedrijf (KPU-bedrijf) zijn onderdelen van COMMIT waar burgers met technische expertise bijdragen aan Defensie. Bij DPO werk je aan projecten voor de instandhouding van pijpleidingen binnen het internationale CEPS-netwerk (NATO). Het KPU-bedrijf voorziet militairen van hoogwaardige kleding en uitrusting, van onderbroeken tot kogelwerende vesten. Collega’s Ted en Nienke vertellen meer.

TECHNIEK

Ted werkt bij DPO en houdt zich bezig met pijpleidingprojecten.

“N� mijn HBO Geodesie en M�ster of Pipeline Technolo�y zocht ik een functie w��rin ik mijn technische kennis intern�tion��l kon toep�ssen. Zo kw�m ik bij DPO. Hier werk ik ��n projecten voor de inst�ndhoudin� v�n de pijpleidin�en, v��k in�e�even door nieuwe wet�evin� of eisen.

W�t ik �eweldi� vind, is d�t techniek de rode dr��d vormt, m��r verschillende disciplines s�menkomen: �utom�tiserin�, elektrotechniek, civiele en bouwkundi�e techniek. Toch is s�menwerkin� no� bel�n�rijker d�n techniek zelf.

DPO is een oper�tionele or��nis�tie met �edreven technische colle��’s. Iedereen levert v�nuit zijn expertise een bijdr��e. Het werk is serieus, m��r er wordt ook veel �el�chen. Het intern�tion�le �spect m��kt mijn functie extr� interess�nt. Omd�t de leidin�en onderdeel zijn v�n het CEPS-netwerk (NATO), moeten projecten zor�vuldi� �epl�nd worden. Meedenken met productie en pl�nnin� is hierbij essentieel.”

COMMIT

Zonder IT rijdt, vliegt en vaart er niets. En al dat materieel van Defensie wordt in de toekomst nóg meer hightech en informatiegestuurd.

Het Commando Materieel en IT (COMMIT) zorgt daarom voor het beste materieel en de beste IT te land, ter zee, in de lucht en in de ruimte.

Het COMMIT helpt zo voortbouwen op de missie van Defensie: wereldwijd bijdragen aan vrede en veiligheid.

Nienke is Systeemspecialist bij het KPU-bedrijf en houdt zich bezig met operationele kleding voor militairen.

“Als industrieel ontwerper (TU Delft) stel ik eisen en wensen op voor nieuwe kledin� en bew��k ik de kw�liteit. Ik werk onder �ndere ��n een kleedsysteem voor de Luchtm�cht, CBRN-beschermende p�kken, jun�lekledin� en thermische isol�tie.

De combin�tie v�n techniek, innov�tie en pr�ktische toep�sb��rheid m��kt mijn werk boeiend. Feedb�ck v�n �ebruikers is essentieel om kw�lit�tief hoo�w��rdi�e �rtikelen te ontwikkelen, hierin erv��r ik veel openheid en enthousi�sme.

Ontwikkelin�en op het �ebied v�n PFAS, br�ndwerend m�teri��l en CBRN ���n snel. De uitd��in� is om binnen (fin�nciële) k�ders de beste technieken en m�teri�len te �ebruiken.

W�t ik �eweldi� vind ��n Defensie is d�t je n��st je formele functie ruimte krij�t voor �ndere �ctiviteiten. Zo ben ik co�ch en tr�iner v�n het Nederl�ndse Milit�ir Klimte�m en heb ik een innov�tief project �eleid om verp�kkin�sm�teri��l te verduurz�men. V�n idee tot prototype met een potentiële lever�ncier, een f�nt�stische erv�rin�! Defensie biedt veel door�roeimo�elijkheden, �l zijn er ook re�els w��r je rekenin� mee moet houden. M��r �ls je initi�tief toont en openst��t voor uitd��in�en, zijn er volop k�nsen.”

INNOVATIE EN KWALITEIT VOOR DE MILITAIR” “

Ontdek DPO EN HET KPU-bedrijf

Benieuwd naar de rollen? Scan de QR-code.

‘IK WILDE EEN MIX VAN BUITEN WERKEN,

ANALYSEREN EN RAPPORTEREN’

Bij de Omgevingsdienst Regio Arnhem (ODRA) werken we dagelijks aan een schonere, veiligere en duurzamere leef omgeving. Of je nu de luchtkwaliteit meet, bodemsaneringen controleert of bedrijven adviseert over milieuregels, je draagt direct bij aan een betere wereld. Met een breed scala aan functies – van toezichthouders en adviseurs tot specialisten op het gebied van lucht, bodem en geluid – bieden we volop kansen voor starters met een passie voor milieu en duurzaamheid. Twee van onze jonge professionals vertellen hoe hun werk eruitziet.

Thomas op den Kamp (28) – Adviseur Lucht bij ODRA

Voor wie denkt dat werken bij een omgevingsdienst betekent dat je de hele dag achter een bureau zit: think again. Thomas op den Kamp, Adviseur Lucht bij de Omgevingsdienst Regio Arnhem (ODRA), is regelmatig te vinden boven op een fabrieksschoorsteen, waar hij emissiemetingen uitvoert. “We creëren letterlijk een laboratorium op locatie. We meten wat er uit de schoorstenen van bedrijven komt en checken of alles voldoet aan de wetgeving. Dat betekent technische apparatuur installeren, kalibreren en analyseren. Een mix van buiten werken, analyseren en rapporteren. Geen dag is hetzelfde.”

Van milieukunde naar echte impact

Na zijn studie Milieukunde, zocht Thomas een baan waarbij hij zijn kennis in de praktijk kon brengen. “Ik wilde niet alleen maar op kantoor zitten, maar juist een combinatie van veldwerk en data-analyse. Dat vond ik bij ODRA.” ODRA is een van de weinige omgevingsdiensten in Nederland die zelf emissiemetingen uitvoert. Het team van Thomas is klein, gespecialiseerd en werkt met de nieuwste technieken om de luchtkwaliteit te monitoren. “Onze meetstations en mobiele meetapparatuur behoren tot de meest geavanceerde in Nederland.”

Een carrière met afwisseling en uitdaging

Bij ODRA werken betekent niet alleen bijdragen aan het milieu in het algemeen, maar ook zorgen voor een veilige leefomgeving. We hebben zeer diverse functies, zoals milieuadviseur waarbij je bijvoorbeeld betrokken bent bij geluidsmetingen (evenementen), asbest checks doet en helpt bij delicten, zoals het illegaal dumpen van gevaarlijk afval. “De ene dag sta je op een fabrieksterrein, de andere dag werk je rapportages uit en overleg je met toezichthouders.

Voor wie is dit werk?

Ben jij een student Milieukunde, Environmental Sciences of een andere technische of duurzame opleiding? Wil je impact maken, niet alleen achter je bureau, maar ook in de praktijk? Dan is ODRA dé plek voor jou. “Je moet geen hoogtevrees hebben,” lacht Thomas. “Maar verder? Als je van afwisseling houdt en wilt bijdragen aan een beter milieu, dan is dit een fantastische baan.”

“HET

MOOISTE UITZICHT

KRIJG JE ALS JE OP 40

METER HOOGTE STAAT”

Een dag als toezichthouder bodem – Laurine van Haastrecht (33) “Mijn dag begint meestal op kantoor, waar ik samen met collega’s meldingen en klachten bespreek. Daarna trek ik eropuit: een bodemsanering controleren, graven in de grond monitoren of inspecteren of alle regels worden nageleefd. Soms bezoek ik een bedrijf of een bouwterrein om te checken of alles volgens de wet gaat. Maar het leukste? De vrijheid om zelf op pad te gaan en onverwachte ontdekkingen te doen. We rijden vaak een langere route terug om veldcontroles te doen. Zo houden we in de gaten of ergens zonder vergunning gegraven wordt. Als je houdt van een mix tussen veldwerk en analyse, dan is toezichthouder bodem een perfecte functie. Je leert veel over milieuregels, krijgt een breed netwerk en hebt veel vrijheid in je werk.”

Kom kennismaken met ODRA! Nieuwsgierig geworden? Bekijk onze vacatures en stageplaatsen op www.omgevingsdienstregioarnhem.nl of kom langs voor een kop koffie en ontdek hoe jij het verschil kunt maken in onze regio.

NETWORKING

Networking. At the mere mention of the word, many students get visions of get-togethers with strangers, dutiful small talk and people introducing themselves with three job titles at once. Breathe in, breathe out: it really is less scary than it sounds. And even better: as a student you often - and perhaps without knowing it - already lay the foundation for a nice network.

An example: during his master’s program, my son worked in a project group with students from different disciplines. He loved that collaboration. But when the project was over, the group fell apart like loose sand. Even when they meet now, they walk silently past each other. And this turns out to be no exception: working students I talked to told similar stories.

A pity, because you already know that you can connect well with these people and you already have a bond with them. What if you did maintain those contacts? What could it get you? Networking is much more than a business card party. It is about establishing and maintaining real relationships, especially outside your own field of study. In this way you not only broaden your horizons, but you build a network of people with ambition - people who might later make a difference to your career.

One alumna of a technical school chose a completely different direction: she now works at the municipality because she wants to make a positive impact on the world through community projects. How did she end up there? Through contacts she made during her student days.

Therefore: grab those opportunities now. Do a year of committee or board work. It’s good for your resume, but most of all you get to know people. Start small. Did you do a project with a guest lecturer from the business community? Send a thank-you email. Do you have a graduate supervisor? Ask how he or she ever got started. Go to lectures, career events or alumni get-togethers at your university.

You really don’t need to storm in with a tightly practiced elevator pitch. Just start with: “What do you find most special about your position?” Listen and keep asking. People are surprisingly happy to talk about themselves. Use that to your advantage. Before you know it, you’ll find common areas of interest.

So: grab that coffee (or that beer), open LinkedIn and take that first step. Networking is not a trick. It’s just getting to know people. And sometimes that’s exactly what you need to get to the right place.

Edith Snelders

Head of Office for Alumni Relations and University Fund Eindhoven at TU Eindhoven

Ben jij klaar om je carrière bij EY vorm te geven? Of je nu interesse hebt in data, digital transformation of emerging tech, binnen Technology Consulting bij EY ontdek je eindeloze mogelijkheden. Je werkt in een innovatieve, internationale omgeving aan impactvolle projecten die organisaties écht vooruithelpen. Samen met gedreven collega’s ontwikkel je jezelf elke dag opnieuw.

Ontdek de mogelijkheden via werkenbijey.nl of scan de QR-code.

Ontdek het werken bij EY.

Shape Your Future with Confidence.

Werken binnen Technology

Consulting

Met jouw expertise, maak je wereldwijd impact. Hoe gaaf is dat. Binnen Technology Consulting adviseer je bedrijven bij diverse transformaties en help je ze verder groeien. Je werkt samen met belangrijke beslissers en helpt hen bij het maken van betere keuzes. Als collega binnen Consulting krijg je de mogelijkheid jezelf te verdiepen binnen diverse organisaties, variërend van lokale startups tot internationale marktleiders.

Binnen Technology Consulting help je klanten waarde creërende technologieën snel te omarmen, zodat ze sneller kunnen innoveren. Denk aan het ontgrendelen van het volledig potentieel van mensen, processen en middelen. Met jouw hulp kunnen organisaties niet alleen bijblijven, maar ook vooroplopen in deze snelle veranderende digitale wereld. Samen met je klant, zorg je ervoor dat technologie niet alleen een tool is, maar een kracht die mensen en processen naar een hoger niveau tilt.

Specialisaties binnen Technology Consulting zijn onder andere: Technology, Strategy & Transformation: Je ondersteunt klanten bij het ontwikkelen van technologiestrategieën, het opzetten van IT-architecturen en het stroomlijnen van IT-processen. Je begeleidt grootschalige transformaties, zodat klanten zich met grote, schaalbare technologieoplossingen duurzaam kunnen aanpassen aan marktveranderingen.

Platforms: Door gebruik te maken van de nieuwste technologieën, gecombineerd met diepgaande sector kennis en domein expertise, help je klanten te transformeren door impactvolle platformoplossingen te ontwerpen, bouwen en implementeren.

Hierbij maak je slim gebruik van het EY-ecosysteem van alliantiepartners, afgestemd op de behoeften van de klant, vandaag én voor de toekomst.

Digital Engineering: Je specialiseert je in het leveren van innovatieve oplossingen voor databeheer, waarbij je Cloud technologie en software-engineering gebruikt om klanten te voorzien van geavanceerde en geautomatiseerde digitale transformaties.

AI & Data: Je begeleidt bedrijven bij al hun uitdagingen op het gebied van AI & Data. Je streeft ernaar niet alleen te helpen bij het opzetten van datastrategieën en het creëren van innovatieve data-oplossingen, maar ook om nauw samen te werken met deze instellingen bij de implementatie van die oplossingen.

Cybersecurity: Je helpt klanten om weerbaarder te worden op het gebied van cybersecurity en privacy. Je ondersteunt organisaties en hun collega’s met specialistische kennis van onder andere cyber-assessments, wet- en regelgeving, privacy, responsible AI en operational resilience.

SAP Competence Center: Je helpt organisaties bij het succesvol implementeren van SAP S/4HANA en gerelateerde SAP applicaties waarbij je een brug bouwt tussen de business en IT.

‘I

START-UP:

ANGARD MICROWAVE

believe that PhD research and entrepreneurship overlap’

Anton Atanasov, founder and CEO of AnGard Microwave, sees many similarities between doing a PhD and running your own business. The young entrepreneur is applying the skills from studies and doctoral research at the University of Twente (UT) to lead his company, a UT & TNO spin-off that uses microwave technology to counter the growing threat of hostile drones.

WHAT SERVICES OR TECHNOLOGIES DOES ANGARD MICROWAVE OFFER?

‘We are a manufacturer of advanced radiocommunication and electronic warfare systems to counter illegal drone applications. Using our technology, we can detect illegal drone activity and interfere with its communication systems. Our core hardware is a wideband, efficient and linear radio transmitter, which means we can also use it to develop compact radio systems that are more jamming resistant. Our goal is to make the world better protected and better connected.’

WHAT GAVE YOU THE IDEA TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

‘I had a strong desire to have a positive influence on the world. Ever since the escalating aggression between Russia and Ukraine, I have been worried. Toys have become weaponized. Cheap drones can be used to bomb schools, hospitals or kindergartens. Destruction has been gamified. This is a strong motivator for me. I don’t want to live in a world like that.

During my PhD research, I spent four years developing specific skills and knowledge related to a topic that I realized could be commercialized. I had the expertise and the ideas that I could apply to improve the world, and so I could not just sit idly. I pursued my PhD because I wanted to contribute to the betterment of society, and this desire hasn’t changed.’

WOULD THE COMPANY AND ITS TECHNOLOGY BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR PHD RESEARCH?

‘Our technology is largely based on my PhD research. The research was funded by TNO Defense, Safety & Security and conducted at the UT. Now we are the first spin-off of the TNO defense department, and the first spin-off done in collaboration between TNO and the UT.’

‘I believe that PhD research and entrepreneurship overlap to some degree. The skills I developed during my PhD are applicable now. The core aspects of being a good researcher are being independent and finding your own niche. You have to think broadly and be able to strategise and identify emerging trends. Doing a PhD is a solitary journey that teaches you to take risks. It builds up resilience against uncertainty and the ability to operate independently.’

ANGARD MICROWAVE ONLY STARTED IN JANUARY 2025. WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MAIN CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES SO FAR?

‘The challenges of starting your own company are innumerable, but we have already seen some successes. We have submitted an idea to the European Space Agency, which is now being developed further into an open bid that we will participate in.

We also drew the attention of the Ukrainian military, and we believe that we can help with the complex problems Ukraine and the rest of the free world is facing.

The challenge is that Europe has neglected and outsourced its defense for the past fifty years. The general environment is not adapted to startups that offer quick and innovative solutions. Building the required network is a challenge for us because it’s a closed circle. All of this is changing, though. There is a general willingness to revive the defense industry, and we are seeing a new market emerge. As drones become more prevalent, we also need to evolve our defense systems. The shield needs to evolve together with the sword.’

‘I had the expertise and the ideas that I could apply to improve the world’

‘Making an impact in a world of possibilities’

“ASML has so much to offer, there’s always something that fits your profile,” says Swen Sekha. Swen and his colleague Ward Dijkman are two new graduates who recently joined ASML's management traineeship in Veldhoven. Besides working on technological challenges, Swen and Ward experience first-hand how the company also takes social responsibility and cares for its employees.

Ward obtained his master’s degree in High Tech Engineering, with a specialization in Micro & Nano Science. Swen graduated in Applied Physics, with a specialization in Renewable Energy. Ward: “I wanted to work in the high-tech industry, there was no doubt about that. But I didn’t want to have to choose a single area of specialization right from the start. I heard about traineeships as a way of getting to know companies and discovering what possibilities are available for me. With its management traineeship, ASML offered a terrific opportunity in this context.”

You’ve both been at ASML for a few months now. How have you found it so far?

Ward: “It's a big company, which can feel a bit overwhelming at first. But you soon settle in. Everyone is willing to help you, and there are lots of tools to support your success in your role. For example, there is a buddy system: someone who answers all your on-boarding questions and who is always there to lend an ear.”

Swen: “It has struck me how the ‘three Cs’ – which stand for ‘Challenge’, ‘Collaborate’ and ‘Care’ – are embedded into everyone’s behaviour within ASML. You have various mentors to help you out at the technical level. And in terms of ‘Challenge’, just as we learned to do during our studies, we challenge each other to see our work through fresh eyes.”

‘Challenge’ is indeed very important within ASML. So are you also made responsible for challenging yourself and taking new steps?

Ward: “My first traineeship assignment is related to the supply chain. My buddy tasked me with making sure that the warehouses don’t stock too many parts, and I am held to account on that. I was given the necessary responsibility and trust quite quickly, even though you’re supposed to have more experience and training for this task. So I feel like a fully-fledged employee rather than a trainee.”

Swen: “Proactiveness is highly appreciated. During my first assignment I started to look for additional challenges. Now I am part of multiple projects, which shows just how much they reward proactiveness here. People are comfortable with giving you responsibility, and I like getting that responsibility. We have to arrange our next assignments ourselves too.”

Have you already discovered first-hand that you can make a real impact with your projects?

Swen: “Yes, thanks to being given responsibility, you can also make an impact. At ASML, it is not so unusual to be able to make a mark within such a short space of time. Colleagues in the factory have told me they’re happy that we’re working to reduce the number of plastic bags we use. Moreover, the new solution is more pleasant for those employees to work with. It’s very nice to hear feedback like that.”

Ward: “Not all projects make it easy to see your personal impact, but for my current project, I see my weekly improvements reflected in the data. It feels very good to see that we really are reducing stock levels.”

Social responsibility is important within ASML. How do you notice that in practice?

Swen: “One of my projects relates to eliminating plastic bags from one of our plants. We’re working on reusable packaging to increase sustainability and reduce costs, which is a sizable challenge for ASML.”

Ward: “There are various social impact initiatives. For example, every employee is allowed to spend one working day per year volunteering.”

Swen: “Diversity and inclusion is an important theme within the company. At ASML, people from many different nationalities work together. To make sure we feel at home, there are many communities for different groups. Education efforts ensure that as many employees as possible come into contact with these communities and learn what they stand for, so they can join them when they feel like it.”

Ward: “Even in my own team of 14 people, we have seven different nationalities. One nice thing about diversity is that some people want to be free at Christmas and others prefer to take time off for Ramadan or Chinese New Year. That’s useful in departments that have to be staffed all the time.”

Do you have to be a certain type of person to fit in at ASML?

Ward: “Definitely not. There are so many different roles that suit so many different types of people. Proactiveness is important during a traineeship like the one we’re doing, but that actually applies to all of ASML. It’s highly valued here.”

Swen: “ASML is very dynamic and creative. I’ve already seen so many ideas emerge in the factory I’m based at over the past few months. It’s constantly changing, and things move very fast.”

Traineeships & early career programs

ASML's management traineeship is one of its early career programs offering structured learning and development on the job. Curious to learn more? Scan the QR-code for more information.

ASML is a high-tech company, headquartered in the Netherlands. It manufactures the complex lithography machines that chipmakers use to produce integrated circuits, or computer chips. In almost 40 years, the organization has grown from a small start-up into a multinational company with over 60 locations in 16 countries and regions, more than 40,000 people of 143 nationalities, and annual net sales of €21.2 billion in 2023.

Behind ASML’s innovations are engineers who think ahead. The company’s researchers, engineers and manufacturing specialists, as well as its high-tech hardware and software, all work at the edge of what’s possible. That’s why ASML’s customers include all the world’s leading chipmakers.

Because ASML spends €3.3 billion per year on R&D, its teams have the freedom, support and resources to experiment, test and push the boundaries of technology. They work in close- knit, multidisciplinary teams, listening to and learning from each other. If you are passionate about technology and want to be a part of progress, visit www.asml.com/careers