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Michelle van der Veer

Michelle puts on her Wellington boots and steps into Rotterdam University of Applied Science’s Aqualab in the Innovation Dock. What is she working on? “With a test rig. I’m investigating whether it’s possible to lay down small nourishments of sand along the coast since that would benefit soil life and recreation in the Netherlands.”

## Nourishments?
“Nourishments are piles of sand. The coast is always eroding and large-scale sand replenishment takes place every year to counteract that, but that in turn is bad for life and recreation.”

## And you're mimicking that here?
“Yes, just below the water surface the slope is roughened to create a beach effect, where I can lay down small replenishments to scale. Then the waves are turned on in the tank and I watch how that sand moves over time. By putting theory into practice, you can mimic this and see for yourself! And then you get a much better feel for it. Genuinely nice to be involved with practice when graduating instead of just theory. I learn a lot from this.”

## Who is asking you to do this?
“This is commissioned by the Community of Practice (CoP) Flood Safety of RDM Centre of Expertise; they work with water authorities.”

## Why RDM?
“I was allowed to choose where I wanted to graduate, and this assignment really appealed to me because I prefer working with natural solutions. The ‘water basin’ played a vital role in this. I get good guidance from Rotterdam University and the CoP. And Jan and Willem also work at the Aqualab, here on RDM; they often help me when I get stuck with the test setup or with the waves. They are always there.”

## Future?
“Because it’s a big study, I’m probably not going to find an answer during my internship, so more studies will have to follow. Also, two students have already preceded me. I hope the tests will give a picture of the real situation so that follow-up tests can be done.”

## Why Engineering?
“I like math and physics and I ended up in civil engineering because it’s all big and you can see it. And now on to hydraulic engineering!”

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Yannick Doest

At RDM Rotterdam, the hotspot for innovation and talent development in the port city of Rotterdam, interns work on a variety of projects. We spoke with Yannick Doest, who shares his experiences about his internship at IT Campus Rotterdam.

## Education and Internship
Yannick is studying Cross-Media Communication at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and chose an internship at IT Campus Rotterdam because of its versatility. “They do a lot in the field of digitalization and communication,” he explains. The application process was via email, and after a meeting, the internship was arranged. “At first, I had trouble finding the location, but now it’s fine. I live in the city centre and take the metro to Zuidplein, then catch the bus. My commute takes about 30 minutes.”

## Assignment
During my internship, I work in the office with the communication team. Together, we form a team of four. I help with communication tasks such as brainstorming and creating social media posts. Additionally, I get the chance to assist with photography and film assignments. In January, I will start my graduation project.

## Small Team
The best part of his internship, he finds, is working in a small team of about 16 colleagues. “This allows you to really build a bond with everyone. It makes the work much more enjoyable, and you feel more seen and appreciated.”

## Tips
His advice to other students looking for an internship is to choose something you really like and are curious about. “For me, it’s very important that I feel comfortable in the team and that you get the chance to learn a lot. And don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek help if you don’t know something.”

## Future Plans
“I came to Rotterdam from Suriname specifically for my studies, and I’m lucky to be able to live with my brother.” When asked where he sees himself in the coming years, he says he wants to stay in Rotterdam for a few more years. “Maybe I’ll eventually go back to Suriname, but first I want to build my photography and film career here. Maybe even set up my own studio. That’s actually the goal.” He still has two years left to study for his bachelor’s degree and then another internship. “Who knows, maybe I’ll stay here. It’s fun to work here.”

## Life in Rotterdam
“I think Rotterdam is really cool. I recently spoke to someone who works on ships as an engineer. I can see myself working on such a ship, five weeks on and then two weeks off. The food on board is supposed to be good too. So yeah, maybe I’ll work in the harbour someday, you never know.”

## Favourite on Campus
“I haven’t been working here long, but I’ve heard that you can play padel here and that there’s a coffee corner in the Innovation Dock. The RDM canteen, part of Dudok, is also very good, I’ve heard. I will definitely make an effort to keep an eye on all the activities in the community. Networking is important if I want to achieve my dream, so I will definitely do that here at RDM.”

_Photography: Mick de Witte_

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Nick Visser

Nick Visser – IT Campus Education Business IT & Management, Kralingse Zoom, 3rd year. Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences.

## How did you end up here on RDM?
“In the 3rd year you have to do a project at the college’s BIM lab. You can choose from many different tracks, and I chose the ‘Make IT work’ track. You can go in many directions with this, such as consulting, but I was especially curious about the technical side of IT.”

## Python
“I wanted to learn the basics of object-oriented programming and am now learning to program in Python. It’s demanding work, even at home, but I have no regrets. First you must learn to understand the language, and believe me, you are thrown in at the deep end! The course is also a pilot for retraining, so I’m a guinea pig. But you are guided very well.”

## What do you think of RDM?
“RDM is a much more pleasant location than an office park, for example. The historic buildings, sheds and ships passing by. Yes, it’s really a beautiful place.”

## And how is the process going?
“This process takes five months, five days a week. My expectation here was to learn more about python and about neural networks and I’m 100% sure I will master that when I finish. Thanks to the track, I have a better idea about object-oriented programming and will apply my knowledge during my education and later with work. In fact, I expect that a technical perspective of IT will also be particularly important later on.”

## Ideal employer?
“I already work at a genuinely nice company, as a side job. Some of my colleagues also come from the Business IT & Management course. We work together on all kinds of IT-related projects. The office is more like a living room with table tennis and VR headsets than a sleek office space. The atmosphere is definitely cosy, and you get the space to do something for yourself in addition to working.”

## Future?
“I do want to get into consulting and run projects with a technical aspect. I’ve been walking the docks here for a while now; love that raw edge. (Nick laughs) It has really broadened my outlook quite a bit. If I can find a cool job in the area later, I would definitely like to work here again.”

Nourishments?

And you're mimicking that here?

Who is asking you to do this?

Why RDM?

Future?

Why Engineering?

Other news

Nick Visser

Yannick Doest