Daniel van Langeveld was a third-year Electrical Engineering student at Fontys University of Applied Sciences when he started his six-month internship at Vicoma in early 2023. Immediately after finishing, he was offered a part-time job that would allow him to combine his studies with work. We spoke to Daniel about his first impression and experiences at Vicoma.

How did you end up at Vicoma?

“Every year, Fontys University of Applied Sciences organises a Meet&Match event where companies and engineering students can meet. It was thanks to a conversation with Jordy, the recruiter for Vicoma, that I learnt what Vicoma does, who its customers are and what disciplines it specialises in. I was looking for a medium-sized company to do my internship. You can quickly become just a number in bigger companies, while a start-up may not be able to give you all the support you need to finish a task or assignment as a trainee. So I was looking for a company that was big enough so that I could speak to the right people for answers to specific questions, and small enough for there to be sufficient personal contact and trust. Vicoma sounded like a good match. After a phone call in mid-December, I was put in touch with the head of the Electrical and Instrumentation department, and that got the ball rolling. I was allowed to start work in January .”

How was your first day as a trainee at Vicoma, and the months afterwards?

“The receptionist who escorted me to the department where I would be working made me feel very welcome. She showed me where I could find the information I needed and introduced me to all the colleagues who were there. A new workplace always takes some getting used to, but I definitely wasn’t thrown into the deep end.”

“My initial work duties consisted mainly of design drafting, which in my case meant that if changes were needed to the drawings of electrical diagrams, I was the first to process them. Someone else at Vicoma would then check the new diagram.” The results were consistently good and the confidence in Daniel grew. “I was gradually given more tasks and responsibilities, such as preparing component lists and modifying P&IDs (Piping and Instrumentation Diagram, ed.). The work belongs more in the process and piping departments, but they could use an extra pair of hands and could always ask me to help. I tried to apply my skills broadly, so I’d get to know more of the company.”

Was there interest in continuing after the internship?

“Both Vicoma and I were very happy with how the internship went, so much so that they offered me a job – after a well-earned holiday, of course. I now have contract for eight hours a week, which combines really well with my studies. It’s very good that they look at your personal situation and the workload that is desired. I hear from other students that they often have a choice between 20 hours or no hours at all, so the fact that Vicoma understands your personal circumstances is really nice.”

Would you like to become an intern at Vicoma just like Daniel? Read more about the opportunities here.