The Importance of Internships in the Netherlands

An increasing number of Dutch students are expected to take an internship as part of their study program – they are mainly done by students seeking the valuable opportunity to gain further experience in their career, as well as gaining real-world practical knowledge that can further add to their qualifications when searching for jobs in the future. These days, internships are not only restricted to typical office jobs, but can be offered in a wide variety of fields including construction, tourism and healthcare.

In the Netherlands, students can find themselves having to take internships at many stages throughout their lives, starting at secondary school where some are expected to take ‘social internships’ that are normally a form of volunteering for a non-profit organisation. Internships can even be valuable later in one’s professional life as a means of changing career, or even doing a temporary internship to gain insight into other companies as a learning experience. With internships being so integral to Dutch working culture, there is no doubt that finding one in the Netherlands essentially makes up for any basic requirement that future employers will look for.

Typically, when students take on an internship, it is referred to as a ‘stage’ as there is no obligation for a company to pay wages; however this policy can differ depending on the company and some students can find themselves earning €300 per month if they are lucky. This type of internship is also exclusive to students who do it as part of their study programme, where upon receiving their diploma they will no longer be eligible to apply for another internship. Aside from the money, this can provide the opportunity for one to earn credits as part of their study and to apply what they have learned in the classroom to a more real-world environment with new learning experiences. This is especially true of study programmes such as business and IT where an office setting is much more relevant to one’s career path.

In addition to the previously mentioned benefits, internships can also offer more practical advantages. Some companies can offer interns a full position depending on one’s performance, and in other cases one can find networking opportunities through their internship, which can put them into contact with the right people to advance them in their career paths. Even if one does not gain a boost to their professional career from an internship, it can give valuable insight into what one can expect further down their career path, giving a taste of what the career path could hold, discovering whether one enjoys it, and helping one to determine if it is the right career path.

With all the benefits mentioned, it is also important to note potential opportunities to be cautious of. In the Netherlands, there is no fixed legal definition of what makes up an internship, meaning that some less reputable companies may attempt to take advantage of students by essentially using them for free labour, giving students menial tasks without offering them any real opportunities or challenges that can provide something of value for their study and future career. With that said, some sources report that the satisfaction rating of students taking internships as part of their study has increased significantly over the last few years, so there should be plenty of valuable internship opportunities offered by companies that can provide the benefits and experiences that candidates are looking for.

Written by  Edward Mah for Together Abroad