Alumna Renske Free

International Trainee  |  Boskalis DTED

I’m Renske and I started my traineeship at Boskalis International Operations in September 2022, right after graduating*. The traineeship provides a perfect opportunity to experience three different projects or assignments over the course of 1.5 years.

What projects are you working on?

For my first assignment at the Rock Department, I visited French quarries to find suitable rocks for breakwaters and explored alternatives that enhance biodiversity.
My next project is as a social advisor in the Maldives. We'll be creating islands to withstand rising sea levels. I'll focus on assessing the environmental impacts and the collaboration with local stakeholders. Later, I'll join the sustainability department at Boskalis.

Why are engineers in this field so important for the future?

The world faces various problems, requiring a transition to a more resilient and sustainable future. This demands understanding the earth, its processes, and its resources. In the ECT programme, you gain this knowledge, along with engineering and social skills, and field experience. Environmental and climate challenges are global. In the programme, you learn in an international atmosphere and tackle global issues. It's crucial to understand the earth before attempting to change it. This program has equipped me to make a global impact through my work.

What skills do you need?

You need to be curious: why does the earth and the processes involved work the way they do? How can these be used to create the best, most sustainable methods?
Be open-minded and adventurous as you will work globally, facing diverse challenges, cultures, climates, and colleagues.
And finally, enjoy the diversity! You can work both in the office and on-site. You can work as an engineer or you can have a more social role. There are endless possibilities.

* Renske graduated from Applied Earth Sciences, now known as Earth, Climate and Technology.

Published 2022