"Taking the initiative and leaving your comfort zone": the TenneT traineeship program, in the words of Marvin and Rosalie

(As a young graduate interested in the energy sector, you might be curious about what a traineeship at TenneT looks like and whether it is the right step in your career in this vast field.) As a leading TSO, TenneT stands at the heart of the functioning of the Dutch and German energy markets, offering a limitless portfolio in projects ranging from day-to-day grid field operations, to offshore asset procurement, trailblazing new innovations in the energy balancing market, and participating in international market coupling projects. With all these possibilities, it is natural to feel unsure about whether joining TenneT is the fit you are looking for. If you have any questions or doubts about joining the traineeship, you have found just the article you need! Who better to tell you about this program than our very own (ex-) trainees?  

We interviewed current trainee Marvin Hemsteede  and program graduate Rosalie Brinkman to get a better impression of their motivations for joining, the highlights of the program, and how the traineeship helped them in finding their permanent position at the company.  

Marvin joined the traineeship in April 2022 after graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. His first assignment was in Large Projects Nederland (LPN), aiding with the project management of the Simonshaven 380 kV project. He is currently doing his second assignment at Grid Field Operations. 

Rosalie joined the traineeship in November 2020 after graduating with a degree in Science, Engineering, and Policy analysis, already with a clear ambition of being part of TenneT as her job. She completed the three assignments in Systems Operations (SOP), Large Projects Offshore (LPO), and Grid Field Operations Offshore (GFO-O). The traineeship took her as far as Singapore, where she oversaw the construction of an offshore substation and was key in helping her find her passion and long-term position at TenneT. 

Here is what they had to say: 

1. Why did you decide to apply for the traineeship?  

Marvin: I started at TenneT as a graduate intern to finish my masters in mechanical engineering. During my graduation period I was able to attend various excursions to get a first impression on what TenneT has to offer. One of the highlights was the double visit to the ENGIE Fabricom yard at Hoboken at which the Hollandse Kust Noord platform was constructed. It was very impressive to see such a platform in person. The visits not only gave me a good impression of TenneT´s daily business, but they also increased my curiosity and enthusiasm towards TenneT. The main reason for applying at TenneT is their essential role in the Dutch and German energy transition to foresee a sustainable future. This transition will come with lots of interesting technological challenges and opportunities, such as the 2 Gigawatt projects and the North Sea Wind Power Hub. Therefore, being part of TenneT means being one of the drivers of the energy transition.  One of the reasons for applying for a traineeship at TenneT is that you as an international trainee get the opportunity to get an extensive insight in the company as you perform assignments in three different departments. Another aspect of the traineeships which appealed to my was the opportunity to perform an assignment in Germany (expat stay). Another reason for applying for the traineeship is related personal development, which is one of the key elements of the traineeship. For myself this relates to teamwork, improving skills, broaden your knowledge and gaining new experiences. 

Rosalie: I was looking for an interesting starters position in the energy sector and TenneT was interesting to me already since the first year of my Bachelors. TenneT was giving a lunch lecture for Electrical Engineering students about cross-border transmission capacity and the effects of lots of (offshore) wind energy on electricity prices and the use of transmission capacity. Since then, I started to direct my studies more into the energy sector because of my interest and enthusiasm about the sector; with additional courses and a specialisation during my Masters. I also graduated in that direction and it was great to start in TenneT after that.  

TenneT operates in a very complex and international environment. With the traineeship I hoped to get to know the organisation better and to learn about the variety of topics that TenneT deals with – from regulations, to politics, onshore and offshore projects and system operations (among others). TenneT also offers an international working environment with many different nationalities in the company Moreover, I was looking forward to follow the trainings offered in the traineeship in order to develop myself further and to learn more about myself (strengths, weaknesses, preferences…) 

2. What was the most important thing you learned during the traineeship, both on a personal and professional level?  

Marvin: Over the past eight months I gained not only a lot of new experience but also was able to improve a number of skills. One of the skills I focused on during my first assignment was related to one of the fixed trainings, namely communication skills. By actively working on my presentation skills, I am feeling more confident in giving presentations and public speaking. Another takeaway would be, if you want something to happen, like a social or work related event, take the initiative and reach out to people and make it happen. Taking initiative and reaching out to people is something which is highly appreciated within TenneT. 

Rosalie: The interactions in the trainee group have been and actually still are very valuable to me. It is a group of young people going through similar experiences but with different perceptions, striving to develop themselves, reflect on their own and other people’s behaviours and willing to openly share about this. Because it is such a diverse, open and reflective group, you can learn a lot about yourself and others.  

I have further developed my ability to reflect and communicate openly, which is a learning that comes in useful both on a personal as well as a professional level.  

3. What was the most memorable event/part?  

Marvin: The most memorable event still has to come, as I have organized together with three other trainees a business trip to Lisbon, to visit REN (Transmission System Operator of Portugal) for a consultancy project within TenneT. One of the main focus points of this business trip will be the connection with the trainees from REN, to expand the European TSO trainee community. Another memorable event was to organize and host together with another trainee the trainee onboarding. In two days the new trainees did not only get acquainted with the a large number of aspects of the traineeship, but also got to know their own batch as well as all the other trainees. The main highlight of the onboarding was the opportunity to co-host the coffee break with Tim Meyerjürgens (COO of TenneT) and the new trainees.   

4. How has/did the traineeship guide you deciding your future (career) steps.   

Marvin: The traineeship consists of three periods each lasting six months. Each period you will work in a different department. In this way you have the opportunity to get acquainted with the daily operations of three different departments. Besides your main assignment, you can also participate in side projects to get acquainted with even more departments within TenneT. In this way you are not only able to build up an extensive network within the company, but you also have an idea on what a number of departments do on a daily basis. In this way you can make a well-founded decision for your future career steps. 

Rosalie: […]  I searched for an assignment closer to project execution, in order to learn about this side of TenneT as well. This was something completely new to me and I did not know what to expect – eventually I enjoyed it so much that this is the area in TenneT where I started working after my traineeship finished. This example shows how the traineeship gives the opportunity to explore TenneT, to find a good match for yourself within the organisation and helps with future career steps. 

5. What is your favourite part of the traineeship itself?   

Marvin: My favourite part of the TenneT traineeship is related to its flexibility. There is no fixed path you have to follow, you can completely customize it to your own wishes. Only the training session related to communication skills, advisory skills and personal effectiveness are fixed. This means that you are in lead of your own development, you choose in which department you want to do your assignment, which role you will take and on which competence you want to focus. As a result of this flexibility you are able to learn from your fellow trainees as each of you follow a different path within the traineeship. Next to that, I really like the trainee community within TenneT. Everybody is more than happy to help and support you. Besides work there is also room for social activities.  

Rosalie: In addition to [the trainee community]: the support by TenneT to develop ourselves, not only content-wise in our assignment but equally important on a personal level and organisational/networking level such as the possibility to take part in trainee boards with Dutch regional grid operators (Energiedragers) or European TSO trainees. These boards organise networking and knowledge-sharing events for trainees.   

6. What advice would you give to someone that is still questioning whether to apply for the traineeship?  

Marvin: My first thought would be: just go for it, you will not regret it. By performing an international traineeship at TenneT you have a direct impact in the energy transition. In case you have some doubts or things are not clear to you, my advice would be to get in touch with a current trainee (you can always contact me via Linkedin). Each and every one of us is more than happy to answer all your questions related to the traineeship or TenneT in general.  

Rosalie: Consider if you are willing to broaden your knowledge and expand your perspectives, to take initiative to shape your own learning path and to leave your comfort zone in order to learn about TenneT, yourself and others. If yes, then stop questioning and apply.