Internships

Savills Netherlands facility managers Femke Boon-Haagsma and Louise van der Kamp-de Raad see internships much differently. Their experience with intern Anissa Versluis highlights the importance of adding young professionals to the team while giving back valuable experience to a student.

Internships are not just about finding a desk for a student to sit at for a few months; it concerns identifying quality internships to ensure a valuable experience for all parties involved, said Marianne Korbijn-Bossers, graduation placement, alumni and industry relations coordinator of international facility management at Breda University of Applied Sciences.

Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas)

BUas, located in the southern Netherlands, is one of 12 collegiate FM bachelor programs in the country, highlighting the importance of the industry in the region.

“There are universities which focus on the soft services part such as engineering, but less so on the soft services of hospitality and ensuring the health and well-being of tenants,” said Korbijn-Bossers.

Internships at BUas

Internships are the lifeblood of any applied sciences study program. Students who learn about practical matters must, of course, put them into practice.

“Processes are more likely to stick when experiencing them in real life rather than via a PowerPoint presentation,” said Versluis. Students at BUas are placed at companies around the world, living confidence-building experiences within the industry of their choice, while forging ahead along a career path that is steadily gaining momentum.

Korbijn-Bossers has been at the forefront of the BUas FM placement program, while Boon-Haagsma and van der Kamp-de Raad, graduates of BUas, benefited when they embarked on their own internships in Ireland, Brazil, South Africa and the Netherlands (Achmea).

Getting the ball rolling

Versluis went through the process of preparing her motivation letter and short-listing various potential companies. Many of her options were purely focused on the practical side, whereas Savills offered both research opportunities and hands-on experience. BUas complements practical program elements with industry-wide research. Students spend much of the second half of their studies involved in extensive research into the ever-changing world of FM and learn to be critical of the status quo.

Career paths and FM work opportunities can be a double-edged sword, appealing to many students looking for their next step after school, but often as an obstacle to finding clarity and direction from the start. Many students such as Versluis choose the FM program due to its multiple job opportunities and wide reach, but it was only when she started her placement that she began to pinpoint specific elements that attracted her, namely purchasing. She was in daily contact with suppliers during her months at Savills, learning how to communicate effectively and identify the best supplier - knowledge that she can now confidently apply back on campus. The pieces of the puzzle started fitting into place during her course, much to the delight of her lecturer. Her choice of real estate showcased one pathway open to FM students.

First impressions

Despite the hour commute (a considerable distance in the Netherlands), the opportunity Versluis had to travel to and work in the financial district of the Netherlands, demonstrated why the physical presence at the office will never vanish. The weekly walk among the skyscrapers was a vivid reminder of the physical challenges of her chosen company and could not be replicated via a video call. The contact moments with her colleagues and immediately feeling part of the team struck her most. As with much of the Netherlands, hierarchy within the business world is not observed rigorously, and Versluis experienced this firsthand when grabbing a coffee with her CFO. Experiences like this meant she quickly grew in confidence, with Boon-Haagsma and van der Kamp-de Raad showing great trust in her abilities.

Her roles varied from interviewing accounts for a project on tenant benchmarking, carrying out market research, and maintaining contact with and obtaining quotations from suppliers, during which time she had the opportunity to hone her Excel skills.

One project she and van der Kamp-de Raad worked on was “a real eye-opener and showed me how differently things were done in other countries,” said Vesuis. Throughout the experience she benefited from not just one mentor but profited from the guidance of both Boon-Haagsma and van der Kamp-de Raad, whom she met weekly. Versluis gained different insights from each of them and their respective teams and learned that there were “a lot of responsibilities, but the facility and property management teams invited me to get involved from the start and motivated me along the way.”

COVID-19 and the numerous lockdowns reduced the time spent in the physical office. According to Boon-Haagsma, FMs are now challenged to add value and manage very different working arrangements for employees. Therefore, Versluis’ split between working from home and at the office was a valuable preview of life beyond university – certainly not a new concept for students around the world either, who have shown great resourcefulness and adaptability to continue their studies.

Company impressed

Her supervisors said Versluis was open from the start of her internship and looked at things from a different angle, an attitude they welcomed. Experience does not guarantee innovative ideas, but can often impede them – a sentiment echoed by Boon-Haagsma.

“Interns not only bring a fresh perspective, but also new knowledge. We spend much of our time busy in our daily tasks, therefore the time to keep up with developments in a constantly changing industry simply isn’t there,” she said. Interns benefit from still being students of the industry. Boon-Haagsma pointed to the example of suppliers, and that it can be easier to stay within comfort levels and miss opportunities to make changes that could be beneficial to the company. They invited a new cleaning company each week to present, and Versluis’ fresh perspectives on the industry proved invaluable in helping make the selection.

“I was encouraged to bring my own ideas to the table. You have to be more critical of the situation, always prepared to ask questions about what is going on, but also knowing when to step back and observe,” Versluis said.

What now?

Versluis is adjusting to life back on campus after her months in the bustling city life of Amsterdam. The impact of the daily routine experienced in the day-job is not to be overlooked. But fortunately for her, she now enjoys the best of both worlds, dipping her toes into life at Savills as a working student, but also diving back into the books at university. Despite the sudden impact of exams, she is enjoying a return to reading more theory, and most importantly, she is now able to give it a place. The case studies are no longer abstract concepts but contexts that she has experienced.

She also enjoys an elevated connection with her fellow students, who have had similar experiences with their respective internships – mostly in the Netherlands, but has grown her network within the FM world that she has gained thanks to her internship.

Versluis’ experience is one of countless others facilitated by Korbijn-Bossers and the BUas team. The hope is for students to return to the field to sample the many dimensions of the FM industry around the world.