The global non-for-profit student organization AIESEC is also active in the northern Netherlands, from its office in Groningen. Still, relatively few companies know of the possibility to temporarily strengthen their team with a foreign working student. Therefore a closer acquaintance with AIESEC, for all internationally oriented entrepreneurs.
Recruiting work students through AIESEC
In the heart of Groningen, Jet Hiltermann (24) swings open the door of the building that houses a diversity of student organizations. AIESEC has offices on the top floor, where a team of seven young people work full-time, supplemented by more than twenty part-timers who work varying shifts. Everyone works here on a voluntary basis, for at least a year. Jet is head of incoming global talent at the Northern Netherlands office and from that role she is also committed to introducing AIESEC to as many companies as possible. 'Our brand awareness in Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe could be better,' she says. "We are working hard on that, because in many countries young talent is eager to get started here.
On average, fifty to eighty motivated young people from all over the world respond to job vacancies for a traineeship or work-study in the Netherlands. 'And yes, the workplaces in the North are as popular as those in the Randstad,' says Jet. 'For foreign students, the Netherlands is a dot on the map and at the same time a popular destination. Why is that? Our country is known for its international orientation and openness. That's a fine environment to gain work experience. Conversely, it is interesting for Northern Dutch entrepreneurs who like to look across borders to offer a foreign student this opportunity. They are well-educated and motivated young people who bring not only knowledge and skills but also a different cultural outlook.
Personal drive
'What is special about AIESEC is that work projects are separate from study programs,' Jet explains. 'Our work students do this out of a personal drive to develop themselves, usually right after their studies or as a gap year. However different their studies may be, they all have an interest in international issues. The challenges we face worldwide can only be solved together. Gaining work experience abroad is a good start. That's why AIESEC was founded in the first place. That was in 1948, just after World War II, from the awareness that countries need each other and that value-driven leaders are needed. From that starting point we contribute with AIESEC to the exchange of knowledge and cultures.
With this higher goal as a basis, in practice it is mainly about making good matches between work students and companies. 'For entrepreneurs with international ambitions, it can be useful to engage someone who speaks the language and knows the culture of the country where you want to do business. That helps to get to know the market there. Sometimes market research is the concrete reason to engage AIESEC, although there are also many job vacancies in the areas of ICT, business development, marketing and sales, engineering, finance and e-commerce. Companies can use a questionnaire to indicate what they are looking for and we share the job vacancies in our global AIESEC network, where colleagues work to recruit young people. Once all the applications are in, we do a pre-selection and ultimately entrepreneurs themselves make the choice of who they want to work with.'
Interaction
'The relatively low cost of an AIESEC course also makes us interesting for start-ups and smaller companies,' Jet emphasizes. 'Especially in a growth phase, working students are often a valuable support. From AIESEC we provide practical guidance on visas, housing, insurance and an introduction to the region. In the unlikely event that the match does not work out - that is a question many entrepreneurs ask us - we look for another solution within our network. Although this is rarely necessary. In the Netherlands even 51 percent of the AIESEC projects lead to a permanent job, so many working students turn out to be an asset for the future. And otherwise both parties benefit from a year of exchange experience. Because not only the foreign trainees learn a lot here, the Dutch colleagues also learn something from the cooperation.'
'Working student helps company internationalize'
Business coach Alex van Ginneken from Groningen discovered AIESEC six years ago during a business event. Since then, the entrepreneur regularly engages working students and Alex also tips the growing companies he participates in. 'With an international team you can scale up or sell faster. That is a fundamental advantage for the future.
According to Alex, internationalization starts internally. 'By engaging foreign working students, you encourage Dutch-speaking colleagues to speak English within the company. That is the basis for working internationally. Another advantage of AIESEC is that you bring in talented and very driven young people. They come from good universities, show commitment - because they are willing to come here for a year - and are eager to prove themselves. That willingness to work hard is a big plus for growing young companies.
Alex has particular experience with software developers and data analysts. He tips having techies do a remote assignment first and going through it together online. 'Then you get a good picture of someone's approach, knowledge level and way of communicating. With the large supply through AIESEC, we have always succeeded in finding good candidates. Such a work placement lasts up to a year - at relatively low cost - and if it works out well for both sides, employment can follow. A great way to recruit international talent.
About AIESEC
In addition to selecting and supervising working students who come to the northern Netherlands from all over the world, AIESEC Groningen also recruits students and graduates (under 30) in the northern region for job job vacancies or volunteer projects in other countries. The young people who join AIESEC for a year as full-time board members or part-time members also work on their personal development and network within an international atmosphere.
AIESEC is supported in the Northern Netherlands by a Local Advisory Council with eight regional board members who are involved in internationalization from, among others, educational institutions, World Trade Center, government, various companies and VNO-NCW. Read more at aiesec.nl or contact the regional office groningen@aiesec.nl.