For Young Professional Joanna Thimme, the traineeship started at full speed. After two days of onboarding at Venturn, she was already at North Sea Port. She says it was exciting, but above all felt very natural. This was exactly why she had chosen the VYP program. She explains: “The idea that you can immediately be involved in day-to-day practise while also working on your personal development fits very well with how I like to learn.”
Although she had little experience in the maritime sector before she started, she quickly noticed how well this world aligns with her background in Transition Sciences. “For me, the port is a sector where a lot needs to change, and can change, to contribute to a more sustainable and just world” she says. “That makes it a very interesting environment where I can gain a lot of new knowledge and where, as a young professional, you can really contribute.”
The first step into a new world
From sailing experience on the Kralingse Plas to an assignment in the cross-border port area of Vlissingen, Terneuzen and Ghent. Joanna’s first months at the Port Operations department brought her right into the dynamics of the port. The department develops nautical policy, safeguards safety, and supports customers throughout their logistical journey. Responsibilities have grown significantly in recent years, creating an energetic and entrepreneurial atmosphere.
Joanna noticed that energy immediately. “I felt right away that people here really want to make an impact. That made me feel very welcome and helped me find my place quickly,” she says. The combination of policy and operations suits her curious mindset well. She regularly visits the captain’s rooms, where port coordinations monitor shipping traffic on large screens. “When you see how everything comes together, you immediately understand what you’re working for. You also see why good policy is necessary and how much coordination and timing are involved to ensure it can be properly implemented in operations.”
An assignment with impact: improving processes and strengthening collaboration
The Port Operations department is growing fast. This growth means there’s a growing need for clarity, structure, and collaboration. As part of a board development programme, Joanna helps the team streamline processes and strengthen collaboration. She leads work sessions, helps improve project structures, and works with the management team to set priorities. “I find it remarkable that, even though I’ve only just started, I can immediately contribute to something that helps the department move forward,” she says.
Her background in Transition Sciences is highly relevant here. Joanna emphasises that change only works when people understand why something needs to be different and when you work together to improve things. “It’s not just about the process on paper,” she says. “It’s mainly about people feeling that it’s truly their process.”
In addition to her role within Port Operations, Joanna also takes an organisation-wide view. Together with her Venturn colleague Stijn Verhoeff, she is working on a process optimisation strategy that affects all parts of North Sea Port. The cross-border nature of the organisation adds an extra dimension to her assignment. she works alternately in Terneuzen and Ghent and notices that differences in culture, distance, and working habits influence the way teams work together. “Those differences can really be noticeable,” she says. “But precisely because of that, you learn how important communication is in an organization that litterly works across borders.”
Due to its location next to the locks, the office in Terneuzen feels like a place where the port is constantly in motion. “You can see the ships passing by. That makes you aware of the impact of the work you do every day,” Joanna explains. The location in Ghent is situated right in the heart of the port area, creating a different dynamic. “You’re so close to the operation that you can almost literally feel what you’re contributing to.”
Learning by doing: bringing change to life
The traineeship gives Joanna the opportunity to connect her academic knowledge with concrete improvements in practice. She learns how policy is formed, how collaboration between teams works, and how to embed change sustainably within an organization. “What I’m learning now goes far beyond theory,” she says. “I see how decision-making works, how to bring people along, and how to improve something together in a wat that continues to work even after you’ve moved on.”
What she takes away most is that change truly comes to life when people are involved and given space for their perspectives. She discovers that her curiosity and analytical mindset help her ask questions, see connections, and support colleagues in making decisions. “I notice that I enjoy unraveling puzzles. Sometimes it feels like stepping into the middle of a very large system, but that’s exactly what makes it interesting.”
Even though she has only just started, Joanna already feels how much energy she gets from learning something new every week. “This traineeship is exactly the right environment for me. You learn about the sector, but also a great deal about yourself.”
Looking ahead: growing as a professional and as a person
In the coming months, Joanna wants to further develop her skills in process optimization, project and program management, and organizational development. In addition, she wants to gain more insight into current themes within the port sector. She is also looking forward to discovering more about her own strenghts. “I’m curious to see where my strengths really lie and how I can use my background in sustainability to add value to my assignment,” she says.
She will remain at North Sea Port until the end of May and is very enthusiastic about what lies ahead. “I feel like I’ve only seen a small part of everything that’s happening here. I’m very curious about what’s still to come and how I can continue to grow.”
About the Venturn Young Professionals Program
The Venturn Young Professionals Program is a two-year traineeship for talents who want to develop within the maritime and logistics sector. Trainees combine challenging assignments at leading organizations with professional training, personal development, and a close-knit community of fellow trainees. In this way, they gradually build a meaningful career in a dynamic environment.
