22 november 2012

Traineeship at the Dutch central government

Anne Dijkstra

Rijkswaterstaat2 22 november 2012

Study background

• BSc Civil Engineering

– combination of technology and societal significance

• MSc Transport, Infrastructure and Logistics

– more focus on policy and governance, look at infrastructure and transport in a broader context

Rijkswaterstaat3 22 november 2012

Graduation internship

• Schiphol Group

– developed a CO2 assessment tool for Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

– CO2 mitigation in combination with transport is focussed on future and needs innovation

– Long term goals and strategy in a practical environment

– Societal relevance

Rijkswaterstaat4 22 november 2012

Rijkstraineeship

• In my trainee year (2010):– Approximately 150 trainees divided over different Ministries– Approximately 50 at Ministry of Infrastructure and the

Environment

• 4 placements in 2 years

• traineeship at the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment: – 2 placements at your main Directorate General > for me

Directorate General Rijkswaterstaat – One placement at one of the other (policy) Directorate Generals

within Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment – One placement seconded to an other central government body

Rijkswaterstaat5 22 november 2012

Missions• The Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment: create an efficient

network of roads, railways, waterways and airways, effective water management to protect against flooding, and improved air and water quality.

• Rijkswaterstaat: Executive organisation that manages and develops the main national infrastructure facilities on behalf of the Minister and State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment

Rijkswaterstaat6 22 november 2012

First placement: Rijkswaterstaat North-Holland• Rijkswaterstaat :

– regional departments– national specialised departments

• First placement at department North-Holland

• Main task: Implement organisational change process of Rijkswaterstaat in the regional department

• Experience:– Do something completely different and non-

technical for a change– Missed working on technical content

Rijkswaterstaat7 22 november 2012

Second placement: Ministry Europe Division

• International focus and closer to political influence

• Main task: Compose the Cabinet response to the White Paper on Transport published by European Commission

• Experience:– Transport is a European topic– Climate mitigation is a ‘hot topic’ in transport– Great opportunity to get insight in political

process– Great opportunity to go to Brussels and see

how EU works in practice– Focus on process more than on content

Rijkswaterstaat8 22 november 2012

Third placement: Dutch embassy in Singapore

• Innovation Attaché Network (Ministry of Economic Affairs): – strengthen Dutch competitiveness– by identifying opportunities for cooperation in Research and

Development

• Main task: Creating an overview of opportunities for cooperation between NL and Singapore on research, development and innovation in the energy sector

• Experience:– Learn to see NL from a

foreign perspective– Experience work at embassy– Dive into new content– Promoting NL is lobbying

Rijkswaterstaat9 22 november 2012

Last placement: Rijkswaterstaat Centre for Transport and Navigation

• Specialised department of Rijkswaterstaat: network strategy, developing guidelines, innovation

• Division of environmental quality > Climate

• Mitigation: How can Rijkswaterstaat contribute to CO2 mitigation?– Promote electric vehicles– Intelligent Transport Systems for cleaner transport– Minimising rolling resistance of asphalt

• Adaptation: What can Rijkswaterstaat do to make our networks climate robust (considering changing climate)?– Extreme weather > consequences for highway network?– Flooding > consequences for highway network?

Rijkswaterstaat10 22 november 2012

Last placement: Rijkswaterstaat Centre for Transport and Navigation

• Knowledge building in cooperation with ao knowledge institutes– Research on which spots in highway network are sensitive for flooding

when climate changes• Advising regional Rijkswaterstaat divisions

– How to incorporate climate issues into infrastructure planning and design• Policy advice to Board, Ministry and European Commission

– Give advice on what actions Rijkswaterstaat needs to take to prevent future flooding of highway network

– Representing Rijkswaterstaat in expert group in Brussels that gives advice to European Commission on which ICT measures in mobility will contribute most to cleaner mobility

• My experience: – Combination of transport, climate and international cooperation– Combination of policy and practical application

Rijkswaterstaat11 22 november 2012

Rijkstraineeship general experience

• Versatile programme, opportunity to create your own focus in the programme

• Good educational programme: – a lot of interesting lectures from politicians and other experienced

experts– Extra theoretical background on national and European policy

making and on personal skills

• Sometimes not very different from student life:– Lectures, Trainee Board, Activities Commission, Study Tour

Commission

Rijkswaterstaat12 22 november 2012

Interested?

• Rijkstrainee programme: www.rijkstrainee.nl

• Rijkwaterstaat trainee programme: www.rijkswaterstaat.nl

• Vacancies at the central government: www.werkenbijhetrijk.nl

• Internships at the central government: www.stagebijhetrijk.nl