Maurice - MSc Earth & Environment - Intern Rijkswaterstaat - March 2021

I am Maurice, a master student Earth & Environment, and I’m currently working as an intern at Rijkswaterstaat. Within this large governmental organisation, it is my job to study the effects that connecting the lake Markermeer to the embanked province of Flevoland would have on fish migration.

Even though this subject suits my interests perfectly, finding an internship wasn’t easy. Vacancies were scarce within my field of interest due to the Covid pandemic. Therefore, I had no choice but to send out numerous of open applications. But after a few weeks, I got a bite and here I am!

The Student Career Services helped me greatly in this internship-searching process, as I was able to discuss my tactics with the team. But without any doubt most helpful of all has been the MOS-module Career Exploration. In this course, you are taught to take a step back and to critically reflect on the plans and ambitions you have for your future career. And as I had little of both, this course helped me greatly.

Although Covid still has us all glued to our desks and working from home poses its challenges, I greatly enjoy my internship. The look behind the scenes and experience in working together with experts in your field of study that you obtain, is a whole different cup of tea compared to all previous experience.

Apart from enrolling in the MOS-module, my advice to everyone who’s looking for an internship would be to make use of the options that you have. Don’t be afraid to send out those open applications, to call campus recruiters, to email your professors and to message alumni of your program. And while they are put to work, take a stroll along the beautiful floodplains of the river Rhine!