‘There’s a reason I kept working in the Netherlands. Apply and try’ – Northern Times

Made It in The North: Timo Dettmering - New Energy Coalition

“I stayed there for a reason: to encourage everyone who is interested in applying for a job in the Netherlands to try it out,” says Mr. Otto, who now works for the New Energy Coalition (NEC) in Groningen. says Timo Dettmering.

Dettmering, who works in project management and modeling energy systems, has appeared in Made it in the North, a series spotlighting internationals working in the North of the Netherlands.

Timo Dettmering is from Germany and holds a Master’s Degree in Energy Systems Management from the Hanse University of Applied Sciences in Groningen. He completed an internship at NEC.

of NEC is a network of knowledge institutions, businesses, government agencies and NGOs working together to accelerate the energy transition, the global shift from fossil-based fuels to more sustainable energy sources.

“I’ve been working here since they accepted me,” says Dettmering after NEC was satisfied with his paper and work.

Smooth transition from student life to working life

Dettmeling has nothing but praise for his time spent at Hanse. The subjects he was working on in the course were so closely related to the actual work being done at NEC that they were often identical.

“They were interested in my modeling, so I kept working on it for my internship,” says Dettmering. “It doesn’t feel very different from college. Instead of lectures, you go to meetings. There are no graded assignments, but there are assignments for work projects. Hopefully, the project is a success. Otherwise, The project will not succeed,” he explains.

According to Dettmering, NEC offers a lot of work flexibility. He conducts meetings and conferences, but also has the opportunity to work from home combined with NEC’s open desk policy.

“You can sit wherever you want. Next to HR, then project manager.

“This kind of flexibility is one of NEC’s great advantages. Student life isn’t too far away. There’s a little more pressure and projects to do, but it’s still flexible,” says Dettmering.

Is not knowing Dutch a barrier?

Dettmeling has said that knowing German gave him a great advantage when it came to speaking Dutch, as Dutch and German have many similarities. He was mostly exposed to the international bubble, so he didn’t have to speak in Dutch all the time, which he struggled with at times. However, in recent months he has focused on learning the language. He also has a Dutch colleague who wants to learn German and they teach each other.

“That’s definitely not a barrier. At NEC we have people from India, Iran, Mexico and Colombia. It’s very international,” says Dettmering, adding that many Dutch speak English well. rice field.

The most difficult obstacle for Dettmering was moving far away from his family, but “it was a smooth transition between masters and work, so it made a lot of sense to stay here,” he says. .

Sell ​​your ideas and show your enthusiasm

For those wanting to work in the energy sector, Dettmering suggests submitting an application to pitch your idea.

“People in the Netherlands are very open and honest. Even if you pitch your idea and it doesn’t make sense, they may see that you are enthusiastic and say they need someone like you. I’ll send you the application, send me your idea, usually I’ll at least get some interesting feedback or if you’re enthusiastic I’ll give you a chance at least that’s what happened to me” Melling said.

He also predicts a healthy future for the energy sector.

“Everything can be expressed in energy. The food we eat, the travel. ” says Dettmering.

He also feels personally happy to be part of the solution.

“Hearing about the carbon footprint and results of the COP (Conference of Parties) sometimes makes me depressed. .

Video by Julia Dumchenko and Daindra Utami.

Interviews have been edited for brevity and clarity.This article is make in the north‘s Personal Spotlight series focuses on internationals working in the North.

https://northerntimes.nl/theres-a-reason-why-i-stayed-to-work-in-the-netherlands-apply-and-give-it-a-shot/ ‘There’s a reason I kept working in the Netherlands. Apply and try’ – Northern Times

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