Large, complex issues

"I have been interested in IT from an early age, both in hardware and software. I used to build websites with friends in my spare time, for example. In addition to my passion for IT, I also love working with people. Therefore, I chose to study Technical Public Administration. This study is aimed at analysing and solving major issues in which many people have an interest. After my studies, I wanted to work somewhere where you come across complex social issues and stakeholders with different interests. In addition, I always had my sights on the financial sector, as it is increasingly IT-driven nowadays. The Data & Technology traineeship at DNB therefore fits my ambitions perfectly.

MoMaS DevOps-team

My first placement was in the Modern Macro Statistics DevOps team within the Monetary & Statistics department. DNB compiles various macroeconomic statistics based on information directly and indirectly reported from Dutch organisations. In the MoMaS DevOps team, I contributed to the IT set-up that provides insight into securities transactions, such as the purchase and sale of shares, by Dutch companies. These statistics are used by economists to get an idea of how the Dutch economy is doing. We facilitate that process at IT. The great thing is that, as an IT professional, you enable the central bank to perform its core tasks.

Personal development

During the traineeship, you have a lot of freedom to choose what you will work on. I work at the intersection of business and IT, but I also conduct some operational work such as developing small applications. From the start, you can indicate which direction you want to go, allowing you to develop in a targeted manner. There aren't really any expectations from DNB in that regard; commitment and curiosity are more important.

A lot is possible, but you have to take the initiative yourself and actively indicate what you want. This might take some getting used to, because you are thrown into the deep end every now and then. Fortunately, how to deal with this will be addressed during your personal development process. The combination of getting acquainted with all those different disciplines and developing a wide variety of soft skills means that the traineeship opens many doors for me.'