Finding a good internship is not always easy. A choice you make as a student without really knowing what you are getting into. A choice that is nevertheless important to get a better idea of what you want to do from your first work experience. In this interview, Sandro Capasso (supervisor at BME) and a few students share their experiences.
BME: "Hey Sandro, what do you think is so important about an internship?"
"An important aspect of an internship is that you can combine the theory you learn at school with practice. This gives you an accurate picture of the business world and also raises personal questions that are important for your future. For example, you will find out which company you want to work for, in which sector you want to develop your qualities and whether it would be useful to do additional studies."
BME: "Why do you think BME is a good company to do an internship?"
"Here you work in an environment with many different cultures and age differences. We also have an open corporate culture where transparency, respect and commitment are key. You also come into contact with international clients. Something that can only be good for your self-development. Student freedom is also very important to us. For example, they learn how to work independently, with the right guidance of course. An approach that is appreciated. In 2018, for example, we were voted bestinternship by VOKA."
BME: "Do you sometimes learn anything yourself from the students?"
"Definitely! For example, in the past internships I have learned some techniques around process improvements in the warehouse. We have also implemented these together with the students. So it is great to see that these collaborations lead to effective improvements in our day-to-day operations."
BME: "Do you communicate a lot with the students?"
"It depends on the type of internship and the student. Some people simply need more guidance than others. For example, an operational internship needs more interaction than an administrative internship. In general, I do think it is important that there is good communication between the student and me. This allows me to get a better idea of the sense of responsibility, which is more important to me than specific knowledge. Of course, a good basic knowledge is a starting point here."
BME: "Finally Sandro, what is something you really want to teach your trainees?"
"First, I think creating a sense of responsibility is really important. If you take responsibility, it leads to initiative. And when you combine both later in your career, you will make mistakes but the positive will always prevail. Every company looks for people with a different outlook on things. In the end, for me an internship is only successful if at the end of his or her project the student is stimulated to go to the next project."
Interested in an internship at BME or want more information?
Some quotes from former students:
"At BME, I am given responsibility and I am involved in the daily operations. In addition, I also get to implement my own ideas, something you don't get to do everywhere."
Thomas Ernes, Logistics Management student at PXL University of Applied Sciences
"I will always be grateful to BME for the experience I was able to gain with them. At the warehouse level, I have gained a lot of valuable knowledge that I will definitely be able to use in my professional career."
Sonora Pinna, Transport and Logistics student at PXL University of Applied Sciences
"Thanks to BME, I have dared to step outside my comfort zone. The many interviews I had the opportunity to conduct and write outhave definitely helped me become more assertive. Also, there is such an open work atmosphere that you automatically feel good about the company."
Myrthe Bals, translator-interpreter student at the Hogeschool PXL
