Energy internship and career plaza: Event of the Energy Delta Convention

On 18 November 2009, the first Energy Internship and Career Plaza (EICP) will take place in the Martiniplaza in Groningen. This event will be a meeting place for companies and prospective trainees and is part of the annual Energy Delta Convention. Energy Internship and Career Plaza is an initiative of the University of Groningen, the Energy Valley Foundation, Energy Delta Institute and the Hanze University Groningen.

The international set-up combined with the theme ‘Energy’ makes this event very special; the EICP introduces students to the energy sector and vice versa. Beforehand companies and students can introduce themselves to one another via an online Talent Pool.

Energy Internship and Career Plaza is organised by a team of international students and internship coordinators. The Energy Delta Convention is an international conference with clear links to the Northern region. Energy is one of the core issues of the University of Groningen and it is also one of the governmental policy focal points to concentrate energy in the north of the Netherlands, the Energy Valley region. This provides students internship and career opportunities in the international energy field. The event will be concluded by a lecture of Mr. Gerhard Schröder, Former German Chancellor and Chairman of the Nord Stream Consortium

Possibilities energy sector

It is not always clear that the energy sector offers career perspectives for natural science students as well as for law, art, psychology or business students. Energy careers are not always in the minds of these students. The EICP informs students with different backgrounds about career possibilities in the energy sector and visualizes their career perspectives. Therefore, companies and organisations in the energy sector are invited to introduce themselves to the students with internship offers, management traineeships, job opportunities, or with presentations and/or workshops.

Match via Online Talent Pool

The Online Talentpool informs companies before the event on November 18th about the skills of the students attending EICP. On the other hand it presents the students with the companies that offer internships, management traineeships or job opportunities. During the EICP a real-life match will be established via a speed-dating battle. The Talent Pool is a cooperation between EICP and Student Stock.

International students prefer regional internships

Approximately 2,300 international students study at the University of Groningen and more than 1,400 at the Hanze University. They are in need of useful information about the energy labour market. Many of them are required to do an internship and are keen to do so. International students are especially interested in internships and research projects in our region: being here, they are already 'abroad' and they do not always have the financial resources to travel long distances.

International companies

The event also acts as a meeting place for students and international companies. Approximately 50% of the students at the University of Groningen and 100% of the students of the Hanze University do one or more internships during their degree programmes. A student who would like to do an internship abroad often spends a lot of time finding a suitable company. By acquainting students with international companies in an informal way, it is easier for them to discover what kind of organisation matches their talents.

The programme runs from 8.30 a.m. to 6.15 p.m.

Energy Delta Convention, 16-18 November.

For more information, please contact: Elise Kamphuis, 050 - 363 7182, careeroffice.feb@rug.nl