From student to design manager: “I help construct buildings and infrastructure.”

A lot of fun and enlightening.

It made me the person I am today. It was my first time living away from home: moving to a new place, making new friends, and starting my journey as an engineer. Up until then, I was interested in large constructions like bridges and buildings: I was fascinated by how they were built. Even now, when I go on holiday and see an impressive bridge, I can’t help being amazed. During my Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering and Master’s in Construction Management & Engineering at the University of Twente, I finally learned the theory behind those constructions.

My internship abroad stands out. In New York, I did research on water-sensitive urban design, which is about making cities resilient to extreme rainfall. It was a collaboration between the University of Twente and Stevens Institute of Technology. I had already done an internship on the same topic in Australia during my Bachelor’s, and I got the opportunity to expand my knowledge in New York. It was amazing to live in those places.

I coordinate the design processes of large-scale construction projects, such as train and metro stations. These projects involve experts from many different fields, such as architects, structural engineers, and other specialists. Sometimes, a project involves dozens of people, other times — hundreds. My job is to bring their knowledge together to create the best possible design.

One of my biggest projects is a feasibility study for the extension of the north-south metro line in Amsterdam towards Schiphol Airport and Hoofddorp. We are looking into possible routes and locations for five new stations. It is a big technical challenge: bridges, tunnels and railway tracks need to be built while making sure the buildings nearby stay intact and the soil doesn’t shift. On top of that, we have to meet the needs of many different stakeholders and come up with a design that works for everyone.

The best part is that eventually, the structure we have worked so hard to design comes to life. And, hopefully, it will still be there in 100 years.

My former study association, ConcepT, organised company visits and lunch lectures where professionals talked about their work. This was how I got a good insight into Arcadis, and I thought I would be a good fit. I contacted them with a graduation assignment proposal, and they said yes. After finishing the assignment I landed my first job: making urban areas resilient to flooding.

Over the years, I worked in different departments. I moved more towards design, so I was a design engineer for a while, and gradually I grew into my current role: now I have more responsibilities and lead a design team.

A lot! The master’s programme covers a broad range of subjects: structural engineering, architecture, urban development, digital technologies, and project management. And in my job, I need to know a bit of everything.

There are many different experts I work with. I have learned to turn to the right specialists when I have questions or need someone on a project, for example, ecologists, railway engineers, and data analysts, among others. It is great that Arcadis is so big: there is always someone with the necessary expertise ready to solve the challenges we face in our projects.

I enjoy design management and civil engineering projects. So, I would love to expand my knowledge and work on bigger projects like a new train station or an airport, perhaps even outside the country.

Learning doesn't stop when you graduate. You think you know a lot, but there is so much more to learn. Stay curious, keep asking questions, and keep wondering why things are the way they are. I know I will be learning until I retire!