Enzo Diependaal, NL
Former student intern at Landsvirkjun
Name: Enzo Diependaal
Age: 24
Hometown: Udenhout, Netherlands
Academic Background: B.Sc. in Aerospace Science and Technology, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands
Major & Class: Sustainable Energy Engineering, Class of 2018
With whom did you intern?
Landsvirkjun, The National Power Company of Iceland.
How did you find your internship opportunity?
Through the ISE program. I received a forwarded e-mail that stated that Landsvirkjun had an opportunity regarding a internship project for offshore wind resource mapping. It sounded interesting so I followed-up.
What project did you work on in your internship?
In the end, four people signed up (Brennan Cicierski, Gaynor McIlraith, Marie Lovise Ve and myself), and the tasks were divided among us. I was assigned 'project manager', having to steer the research when needed, keep track of progress and other related tasks.
What did you enjoy the most?
The other team members. Brennan, Gaynor and Marie were ideal in the way that they required very little steering. It just worked. This meant that I could keep track of all their products and just provide input instead of corrections. It also made for a pleasant work atmosphere, since I as a fellow student did not want to put myself ‘above' my colleagues.
What were your biggest challenges?
My main challenge was that for the first period I had to conduct my tasks from abroad, as I was in Russia for Nuclear Engineering. This however went well and no delays were encountered. The other difficulty I thought I would face, was maintaining a pleasant atmosphere, in which I did not became the guy above my fellow colleagues. Due to the great team, this challenge did however not really appear.
How did this internship help your career?
It gave me more project managing skills. Given the future I see for myself, this was a further extension from skills obtained in the past for a company abroad, reaching into a new culture and other atmosphere. I can only thank Landsvirkjun for this opportunity and the facilities they provided.
How did it compliment your studies at ISE?
The same as it did for my career. My studies are here to get myself ready for my future career and all future research leading to it. Management capabilities, while researching together with your team and keeping oversight of all work done by each of the team members, makes for an interesting learning and working experience. Not only on the account of the projects specifics but also on the account of my personal development.
What advice do you have for future students?
If possible, try to get an internship or project with this structure. It will provide you with more insight into corporate structures and the working atmosphere within. If you want an internship at a power company in Iceland, I highly recommend Landsvirkjun.