Madelein came to Twente for the technology

This article is part of a series called “Twente Leeft!” (Twente Lives!). You can read personal stories here about living and working in Twente. Twente is a nice place to be, according to the talents we meet. The beautiful nature, space, the down-to-earth mentality; they all characterise Twente. There are also plenty of career opportunities! Twente has many innovative, international and future-proof companies that are desperate for staff. Want to know what Twente has to offer? You can find Madelein van der Jeugd’s story below.
 

Madelein grew up in a small village in Groningen, in the most north-eastern part of the Netherlands. A place with a lot of water, space and nature; but also an area with little excitement for adolescents. Madelein decided to move to Groningen, even though travelling there with public transport was quite easy. “I wanted to discover the world as an adolescent, and Twente turned out to be perfect for me.”

Madelein decided to do her graduation internship in Twente because Twente has a big technical manufacturing industry. “Twente offers a lot of technology in both work and education. I was looking for a place in which I could do my graduation internship and also continue my studies. I applied at various companies, and eventually chose for Aeronamic in Almelo because aviation has always been exciting to me.”

“I am currently studying Public Administrations at the University of Twente. I think public administration goes well with business administration, and I am glad that I can combine it with my job at Aeronamic. I like working here when I don’t have to go to school.”

Madelein chose to study Technical Business Administration, but she now wants to encourage other women to choose for technology as well. “Women often see things differently, and that is why they have capacities that can be very helpful in the technical (male) world. Women are usually good at communication, creating atmosphere and keeping everyone happy.

“Many people still have prejudices about technical studies and working in technology. When a study is more technical, it is considered more difficult and tough. I think many women are also a little scared of the unknown in this type of study. Even though Technical Business Administration always appealed to me, I still thought to myself: “Is working in technology really for me?”. But the great thing is that I can combine the human and technological aspects. I learnt the basics of technology and a lot about business administration in my studies. The study focuses on process optimisation, and that is something I can put into practice at Aeronamic. I am now digitising our work instructions, for example.

“We are using videos to digitise our work instructions, which again allows me to combine human and technological aspects. I need to have a basic knowledge of the product and the process, but I am also involved with what comes next. I create digital work instructions, but I also ensure that people start using them and that they are enthusiastic about them.”

Madelein says that men often enjoy being able to work with women in this field. “Aeronamic has around 130 employees, 13 of whom are women. They have various indirect functions, but there are also some in technical functions. This combination of men and women in the workplace is great.”

“Choose for technology as a woman, and don’t be scared of failing!”

Settling down in Twente

Madelein moved to Twente for work, but she has also built up a nice private life. “I have family in Enschede, but I still decided to go live in Almelo. Almelo is a great city with a nice city centre and lovely terraces where I stay regularly. I also enjoy going to Heracles; not because I love football, but because it is a nice social meeting place on the weekends. I built up a nice group of friends in just a short time, fortunately, which went very smoothly. I love riding motorbikes, and Twente is a much better place for that than the flat countryside in Groningen.”

“Rent in Groningen was often quite expensive, but the difference with Twente is even bigger than I expected. I lived in a student room in Groningen, while I have a nice apartment now in Almelo. That is a great advantage. Twente also has a very favourable location: you’re close to the German border, but also very central to the rest of the Netherlands. I really like it in Twente!”

Twente is the ideal place to live and work, according to the talents we meet. Want to know why? Read personal stories about living and making a career in Twente on twente.com/twente-leeft. Want to look for a job immediately? Then take a look at our extensive job site.