Sujohn Van der Linde, a student from EPI (Aruba’s Vocational Education Institute), is currently completing his internship in Belgium through an EPI exchange project. The young student shares more about his professional experience abroad.
The Program “I believe this program has been running for about two years and consists of three different branches: Erasmus+, E-Rasmus, and Iberostar. These programs provide EPI students with the opportunity to do an international internship, meaning students can travel to places like Spain, Mexico, Ireland, and Belgium. I chose Erasmus+ and came to Belgium for my internship.”
Motivation and Choice Sujohn is a third-year ICT student at the exam level. He chose to go abroad to gain experience in a different environment compared to Aruba. “I had already completed internships in Aruba at EPI and at ‘My Computer,’ but I wanted to experience a different work culture and meet new people. I also wanted to see how the ICT and technology sectors operate at a more advanced level than in Aruba. That’s why I chose Belgium.”
Adapting to Life in Belgium “After a few days of interning and attending school, I can say I feel comfortable and well-adjusted. I feel like this is a job for me because I’ve already adapted to the daily routine. In the morning, I wake up and take the train and bus to reach the school where I am interning. There, I work and assist with any issues that arise in the ICT department. When I finish, I take the train and bus back home. It feels like my normal life—living and working here in Belgium—rather than just doing an internship.”
Technological Differences Sujohn noted a significant difference in the approach to technology between Aruba and Belgium:
- Use of the “Cloud”: In Belgium, most systems run via the Cloud, meaning schools do not have many physical on-site servers.
- Systems in Aruba: At his previous internship sites in Aruba, systems relied more heavily on local servers.
- Advanced Level: The student considers the technology level abroad to be more advanced than what he experienced at home.
Benefits of International Internships According to Sujohn, this program is highly beneficial because:
- New Experiences: it allows students to challenge themselves in a new environment and break their normal cycle.
- Networking: It allows students to meet new people and expand their international network.
- Future Planning: Experiencing different cultures and work methods helps students decide if they want to pursue further studies abroad.
Future Plans Sujohn is in his final year of Level 3 and plans to:
- Proceed to Level 4 at EPI, which takes about a year to a year and a half.
- After Level 4, his goal is to study to become an IT Technician, either in Belgium or the Netherlands.
He concludes by encouraging all students to seize this opportunity if given the chance, as it provides an excellent foundation for their professional future.
