Our intern Isabel, student of Commercial Economics and Marketing of Social Business at Hogeschool Rotterdam, has successfully completed her internship! She looks back on her experiences and highlights of the past six months.
What were your expectations of the internship in advance?
"My expectations were mainly focused on the educational aspect of the internship," says Isabel. "I found it interesting because it was a completely different industry than what I was used to. I wanted to learn more about logistics and improve my social skills, such as dealing with colleagues, participating in external appointments and communicating with customers."
What did you do during your internship?
“During my internship I performed a wide range of tasks, such as devising and writing content, communicating with agencies and arranging external communications, such as manuals and newsletters. I also carried out an internship assignment that focused on customer improvements. I worked closely with Romy, my colleague in the MarCom department. "The direct contact and the short lines made the work very dynamic and offered many possibilities."
How did you experience the internship?
"I experienced my internship at Secure Logistics as very positive," says Isabel enthusiastically. “I was given a lot of responsibility and this gave me many opportunities to learn. I really felt part of the team and was really able to contribute in the field of marketing and communication.
What did you learn during your internship?
“My internship was very educational in itself, but I was able to develop the most in:
Social skills: dealing effectively with colleagues, customers and external parties.
Professionalism: I have gained a better understanding of how to behave in a business environment.
Value of an intern: I have discovered that an intern can certainly add value to an organization. The fact that I was able to carry out multiple activities and also conduct research that really has an impact on the business has confirmed this.”
What were your highlights?
“The highlights of my internship were:
The visit to the Truck Parking on the Maasvlakte: "It was a unique experience to visit one of our customer locations. It is very valuable to see our products and services in practice. This made it even clearer to me what our impact is on optimizing logistics processes, especially access. This has given me many insights. In addition, participating in the Multimodal Transport Expo was also one of my highlights It was great fun to participate in this event and see the field in action."
What were the biggest challenges?
“One of the biggest challenges for me was staying professional and separating private and business life. I'm quite a bubbly person and have a tendency to get too informal quickly. I have already been able to improve in this regard through the agreements with agencies. In addition, I found it very exciting to speak to a larger group of people. However, I dare say that I have overcome this fear!"
What would you like to tell fellow students/future interns?
"Don't be afraid to talk to everyone and step out of your comfort zone. Take initiative, this will help you get the most out of your internship!"
How do you view your professional future?
“I look to my professional future with confidence. I will soon take a minor in entrepreneurship and consultancy and then graduate with a graduation internship. After my bachelor's degree, I would like to do a master's degree and focus on a specific field. My ambition is to become an all-round marketer and ultimately manage a team. Naturally, I will first fully focus on my studies 😉"
“My internship at Secure Logistics was a valuable experience that prepared me well for my future (business) career. I would like to thank the colleagues at Secure Logistics for this opportunity and for the educational and enjoyable months, and I will certainly miss it!”
