The story of Guido van Rinsum

I completed my hydraulic engineering studies at the Technical University of Delft early in 2018. I think hydraulic engineering is a really wonderful profession where you have the ability to perform technical analyses or to realise designs that have societal relevance. Projects often intersect across a range of disciplines, like geotechnical engineering and spatial quality. Although that makes the projects complex, it also offers the opportunity to look for solutions; and that’s something to make an engineer’s heart beat faster.

After graduating I started working immediately at Witteveen+Bos as a flood protection project engineer. My studies had introduced me to Witteveen+Bos several times during open days and business courses. These introductions left me with a good impression of Witteveen+Bos: a committed group of people who take an intrinsic pleasure from their work. Now I’m also able to recount my own experience within the organisation: that colleagues are always open to substantive discussions and that you can quickly build up an internal network.

Although Witteveen+Bos is a large engineering firm, it doesn’t feel that big. The way it’s organised means you have a small group of immediate colleagues. Lots of enjoyable activities are also arranged, to increase involvement. The advantage of the size of Witteveen+Bos is that a lot of enjoyable and challenging projects are performed. You get enough opportunity to aim for what you enjoy and to follow your ambitions.

Another reason for me choosing Witteveen+Bos is the value that’s accorded to personal development. It’s given a great deal of attention, both in terms of technical content and in soft skills. Plenty of opportunities are offered, initially in the Starter trajectory, but also alongside that.

At Witteveen+Bos you’re involved in the projects directly as a fully-fledged employee, and you’re quickly assigned responsibilities. A fine project I was involved in is the dyke reinforcement one, Markermeerdijken (between Amsterdam and Hoorn). It’s a complex project requiring a minimal impact on the environment, with limited space, and with a host of other important requirements and wishes. Along with my colleagues, it’s my job to achieve a technical dyke design within these preconditions. The design has to be coordinated with a range of other disciplines. In short, an integrated project with lots of technical challenges. During this job I often work in a project office near the dyke which is to be reinforced. This has the advantage that all the disciplines are close together, making coordination easier.

Witteveen+Bos is the right place for you if you want a challenging job in terms of content, with plenty of enjoyable projects offering a wide range of opportunities. You’ll have plenty of scope to manage your own career here, for example if you want more technical depth or if you want to evolve more broadly within complex projects. You can also count on a relaxed working atmosphere. I would advise that you chat with us during a business course or open day, to gain a good picture of the organisation. Of course it would be even better to experience it for yourself, perhaps by undertaking an internship or graduation thesis at our company.