My name is Anna Schoo. While working, I completed a part-time associate’s degree in Environmental Science at Avans University of Applied Sciences. I wanted to combine my knowledge of the environment with data and technology, which led me to the trainee program at Geo-ICT Training Center in the Netherlands.
During my traineeship, I took various Geo-ICT courses and was able to immediately put what I learned into practice. My first assignment was at Mateboer, a soil and environmental services company in Almere. After that, I started working as a GIS specialist at Van Gelder in Zwolle. At the same time, I continued to develop my skills and completed the UniGIS pre-master’s program.
The traineeship not only gave me a solid start in Geo-ICT but, more importantly, the opportunity to discover which career path was right for me. After my trainee year, I had the option to stay at Van Gelder, but I chose a job at a water authority closer to home. It was a great next step, though over time I realized I missed the variety and challenge of working on different projects.
When I got back in touch with Van Gelder, I was welcomed with open arms. Now I’m happily working there again on a wide variety of projects.
For me, the Geo-ICT traineeship was above all a stepping stone: learning, gaining work experience, further developing myself, and discovering where my interests and strengths are best put to use.
