CHALLENGING INTERNSHIPS - Jobs bij Aertssen: Join the A-Team

What did you like about your internship/thesis?

Our thesis dealt with organisational culture and culture management in family businesses such as the Aertssen Group. No research in the library, but immersed in practice. Together with my fellow student we regularly went to Aertssen headquarters to work on our thesis and ask questions. From the beginning we were immersed in the story and the culture behind the company. This was a very instructive experience for us and gave us the opportunity to apply the theory in real life. If we had additional questions, we could always contact Yannick Renier, Alain Bastiaens and Yves Aertssen.

Which three things did you learn?

1. Do not be afraid to ask questions and to go deeper into some subjects. You will learn a lot and the Aertssen team is always ready to help you further.
2. Corporate cultures have a huge impact on the way a company works.
3. Aertssen is a genuine family business with a real family culture. This emerged very strongly from the results of our final project. For me, a company with a family culture is therefore a requirement when looking for a job after my studies.

What did you think of the atmosphere at Aertssen?

Great! With each visit, it became clear once again how friendly and open everyone was. We immediately noticed how well everyone communicates with each other and how the various departments flow together nicely. There is no hierarchical culture at Aertssen Group. Yves Aertssen walks through the corridors to have a chat with colleagues and to help where necessary. That is what particularly struck me and I have a lot of respect for it.

What tip would you give to future interns?

If you get the chance to do an internship or thesis in this nice company, embrace it with open arms! That is how you will be received. Visit the company as often as possible to get a taste of real business life and to talk to employees. That is where you learn the most and how you prepare yourself properly for the labour market. In short, a very instructive experience.

It feels like a great honour to do an internship at Aertssen. That is because Aertssen takes care of its employees and there is a familiar, cosy atmosphere. I am very enthusiastic about Aertssen because it is active in several fields. You can learn a lot and gain experience in the various departments.

During my internship at Aertssen Transport & Logistics I learned how important short and direct lines/contacts between managers and colleagues are. This made it possible to work in several departments during my internship and to get to know the company. I got a very good picture of all the activities and that made the internship varied and fun.

You also build up a bond with the Aertssen colleagues and that makes it extra nice to work at Aertssen. They make time for you, so you get to know the processes well and it is nice to work as an intern at Aertssen.

A tip for future interns? Dare to say what you want to learn or would like to change. And be open to learning a lot. This is an indispensable quality that will take you far.

Will we see you soon too?
Dingena – Aertssen Transport & Logistics

What did you like about your internship/final project?

The best thing about my thesis was the direct link to practice. While many of my fellow students at the time were mainly looking for information in academic books for their thesis, Smartyard/Aertssen gave me the confidence to talk to their partners and brainstorm about new applications of data that could mean added value for all parties involved. They tried to find a good mix of different partners from the building sector in order to get a broad view of the various needs and wishes. In a short time I came into contact with both large and small companies, tenants and rental companies that use Smartyard, as well as a number of niche companies that belong to the absolute top in their specialisation. This practice-oriented approach gave me a lot of satisfaction. Not only because I learned a lot about the

construction industry in a short time, but also because the feedback I received was used effectively by Smartyard.

Which three things did you learn?

I learned a lot about the construction industry during my thesis.

1. As a student of commercial engineering, the construction sector was like any other for me and only came up for discussion if there was an obvious economic aspect to it. So it was completely new for me to see in detail how a strong player in this sector operates. I received a quick but thorough introduction to the most important steps, processes and working methods involved in realising a construction project. Thanks to Aertssen’s versatile activities and the conversations with other players in the sector, I immediately got a very clear picture.
2. Because my thesis focused on innovation within the construction sector, I learned a lot about it. On the one hand, I came across many interesting examples from practice which had a very big impact in the short term. On the other hand, I also learned that innovation is not always so easy because of various factors. What struck me was that innovation in the construction sector, more than in other sectors, is linked to technological innovations in working equipment and hardly at all to renewing processes or working methods.
3. The most important thing I learned is that there is still a lot of potential for the construction sector in Belgium. For example, the academic research showed that Belgium lags slightly behind compared to other developed countries when it comes to implementing innovation in the traditional, economic sectors. Moreover, it also turned out that the construction sector is not exactly a front runner when it comes to the comparison with other sectors within the same country. Thus, enormous gains in efficiency and productivity can still be achieved by focusing on innovation. The construction sector in Belgium can make great strides forward. Major players in this sector realise this all too well and are looking for ways to jump on the bandwagon. It seems to me that Smartyard is ideally positioned to play an important role in this!

What did you think of the atmosphere at Aertssen?

I found the atmosphere at Smartyard and Aertssen very pleasant and relaxed. Compared to other professional experiences, everyone was very accessible for questions or a conversation. This also ensured smooth communication within teams and colleagues from different departments knew each other well.

What tip would you give to future interns?

I would mainly advise future interns to seize as many opportunities as possible! At Aertssen they quickly gave me the confidence to talk to partners about Smartyard on my own. Yannick Renier, CEO of Smartyard, took care of the initial contact via e-mail, but collecting responses from companies and talking to them was entirely up to me. For me this underlines once more how much trust Aertssen puts in their employees and it motivated me even more to present a good result.