They are talented, independent and fit right into your team: every year, Leiden-Delft-Erasmus trainees bring their knowledge and skills to various departments across the university. We are currently recruiting new trainees and looking for projects for the coming academic year. So make the most of this opportunity, urge current supervisor Monique and trainee Earryt.
Monique de Ridder is Director of Operations at the Leiden Institute of Physics (LION). Earryt Sijm is a history graduate and second-year LDE trainee.
Hi Monique, you brought Earryt on board to support the migration from SAP to the new BAS admin system. Why did you decide to submit this trainee assignment?
Monique: ‘The university is a big organisation, so we knew that the migration would be complex: from the new system itself to all the internal processes and tools connecting to it. That would mean a lot of work. I thought it was worth seeing whether we could bring in a trainee because you then have someone within immediate reach who can focus full-time on the project for a year. Fun fact: I was actually one of the first trainees at Leiden University, before the programme merged with LDE.’
Hi Earryt, what have you been doing for Monique these past six months?
Earryt: ‘The work’s been really diverse. I learned to use SAP so I could understand the system people were familiar with. I’ve also supported the local AFAS team, participated in various impact sessions and prepared staff communications about the migration. Now we’ve migrated to BAS, I provide administrative support and take on a kind of customer-service role: I’m essentially the institute’s help desk because I now know the new system so well. That’s also meant giving training sessions at the institute, which people really appreciated.’
How has the collaboration been so far?
Earryt: ‘I think it’s gone very well. We speak several times a week, so whenever I’m unsure about something, I can easily get in touch with Monique. It’s all very open and accessible.’
Monique: ‘I agree. Earryt fits in well with our team. People know where to find him and vice versa. That’s important in our line of work because it means I can delegate BAS tasks to him that would otherwise have landed on my desk. That really makes a difference with a big project like this.’
Trainees are sometimes mistaken for interns. How do you both see the distinction?
Monique: ‘An intern is quite different from a trainee who has their own responsibilities. In fact, a trainee is no different from any other staff member in a graduate role. The main difference is that you are offering them a year-long assignment, which means you need to consider carefully whether you actually have an assignment that is substantial enough and has the right level of intensity to justify a year. With the migration from SAP to BAS, that was definitely the case.’
Earryt: ‘As an LDE trainee, you’re a full member of staff: you deliver results for the organisation and are a productive member of your team. We’re all university graduates and can shape our role in different ways.’
So trainees are equal to regular staff members. But there is a difference. Could you explain?
Earryt: ‘The difference lies in the self-development pathway built into the traineeship. We take modules at a training institute that help us explore our professional identity and cover things like project management and consultancy. We also have peer reflection sessions and organise activities and events through various committees. There’s more to it than the work alone, and trainees need time for that too.’
Monique: ‘I would put it this way: it’s not more; it’s just different. With any new staff member, you also look at their strengths and development goals, but with an LDE trainee, you know that these aspects are already part of the programme. So you let that guide you.’
Finally: Monique, what would you say to colleagues who are considering submitting a trainee assignment?
Monique: ‘As long as you have a big enough project, a trainee can really make a difference. And besides offering young staff the chance to get to know different parts of the university, the recruitment process is also well organised. There’s really nothing stopping you. So go ahead and submit an assignment!’
