Rotterdam Mainport Institute (RMI), which is part of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and the Shipping and Transport College (STC), trains students for careers in shipping, ports, logistics, and process engineering. During the Maritime Talent Days, students can find out about the career opportunities available in the maritime sector, which is experiencing a growing shortage of well-trained professionals.
Getting acquainted
On Friday morning, students from the Rotterdam Mainport Institute (RMI) and other universities of applied sciences of Amsterdam and Zeeland attended workshops. On Friday afternoon, they had the opportunity to meet approximately ninety companies to discuss career opportunities and internships.
At the end of the afternoon, Sarah Wilton-Wels, Chair of the Executive Board at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, took to the stage. She thanked everyone present, “You are making the future of this sector tangible, but that future requires more than just enthusiasm. It requires vision. It requires policies that allow for growth, innovation and training. That's where our next speaker comes in: Outgoing Minister Robert Tieman, who was trained in and has his roots in the maritime sector. With his in-depth knowledge and experience, he understands the situation better than anyone, both theoretically and practically.
“Water is never motionless”
Tieman has fond memories of his time as a student at the Nautical College, as well as of his subsequent work at the Netherlands Rhine and Inland Shipowners' Association and Deltalinqs. “I know how it feels to be at the start of a career, full of plans and questions,” he said. “I wish you the same satisfaction that I had: the feeling that you are working on something substantial; something that is advancing the Netherlands.”
The outgoing minister concluded with a message for the entire sector, “The sector needs people who are focused on their goals and willing to take risks. Young people like you, who think in terms of solutions and want to continue learning. To entrepreneurs, I would like to say: keep investing in young people. Give them a chance, a job, an internship, a future. And to the students: Stay curious and keep moving. Water is never motionless, and neither are careers.”