DOING AN INTERNSHIP AT VB-AIRSUSPENSION
“You are really part of the team and you can talk to anyone!”
The very first VB-Airsuspension internship day took place on Wednesday 27 March 2024 and according to our trainees, it was one of the highlights of their internship. This was of course also a wonderful opportunity for us to ask our trainees: “What is an internship with VB-Airsuspension really like?” We wanted to chat to them about some nice moments and got straight to the point. The trainees exchanged a few looks between them and then answered this general question: “What is an internship with us really like?".
Thijmen Peters – Internal Logistics – started: "Before your internship, you have the opportunity to send a quick presentation of yourself to VB-Airsuspension.
This allows you to talk a little about who you are, what you enjoy doing in your free time and what you hope to learn at VB-Airsuspension – and you attach a photo of yourself. This allows your future colleagues to get to know you a little bit, which is very nice: it means you're no longer this strange face when you arrive."
Jeroen van der Velde – Internal Product Development – added: "Your internship supervisor first gives you a tour of VBA, so you get to shake hands with a few people and learn about the organisation's structure. The first conversations started during the tour. It really brings it home to you that people (absolutely everyone) are ready to answer your questions, and they contribute when you tell them about your internship assignment. It all makes for an excellent first impression!"
Great feedback!
We like to be known as a 'sensible' and 'flat' organisation in an international working environment – it’s great to see that others feel the same! Once we realised these trainees were happy to talk about their internship, we decided to ask them a few more questions: “What exactly are you doing at VB-Airsuspension right now?”
FANCY DOING AN INTERNSHIP AT VB-AIRSUSPENSION? LET US KNOW!
We welcome applications on spec. Please send your application to:
VB-Airsuspension B.V.
The HRM department
Attn. Stephanie Kerkdijk
Postbus 130
7050 AC Varsseveld
hrm@vbairsuspension.com
Jeroen van der Velde
- Position at VB-Airsuspension:
Product Development Intern - Internship duration:
20 weeks - School:
Saxion University of Applied Sciences - Training:
Mechanical Engineering
"I help to determine force ratios at VB-Airsuspension. The force ratios I examine make it easier to determine the stresses in the chassis. In other words, I look at the ratios of the forces that are transmitted to the chassis of a vehicle with semi air suspension (VB-SemiAir). I like it that we are simultaneously working on a new 'Simpack' software implementation for this.
The greatest advantage of this approach is the time we gain: we can simply simulate more before the development stage, which allows us to exclude certain things in advance already. I use various other simulations to examine whether it is possible to determine the force ratios of a suspension system. I then try to verify these simulations in physical tests. Fortunately, other people at VB-Airsuspension have gained plenty of experience in similar previous assignments. This means I receive good guidance."
Thijmen Peters
- Position at VB-Airsuspension:
Logistics Intern - Internship duration:
6 months - School:
Graafschap College - Training:
Management of team, department and/or project
“You build trust.”
"During my internship, I have been working on OEE. This stands for 'overall equipment effectiveness'. I measure how well a manufacturing operation is utilised compared to its full potential. This is expressed as a percentage, and it is the best way to measure the productivity and effectiveness of things. My assignment focuses on 1,700 order picker hours at VBA, for which we have measured an effectiveness rate of 68% to 69%. We would like to increase this.
When you start a project like this, a good introduction is essential. You take an objective look at other people’s work, which may cause some pushback if you don't explain your findings properly. I certainly saw some room for improvement, but how do you convey this in a constructive way so that everyone supports the benefits? I came up with a very useful approach together with my trainee supervisor, which allowed everyone to see the added value and ensure colleagues were open to working with us. It has made the assignment great fun and easier to implement!"
Benjamin Meijland
- Position at VB-Airsuspension:
Process Engineering & Technical Services Intern - Internship duration:
6 months - School:
Graafschap College - Education:
Smart Industry
"Products such as compressors undergo extensive testing before they leave VB-Airsuspension. This is also the case for the specific compressors my internship assignment is focusing on. The VB-Airsuspension compressors under the vehicle are controlled by the VB-ASCU, the electronic control unit. This makes it possible to control the air suspension. The same component is currently also used to run tests. This seems to be a logical approach, but in principle this component is not intended to run such tests in a production environment (which is noticeable). This component is therefore lacking sometimes, so it is not easy to make adjustments for testing. This means we need a different type of control unit to run these tests, which is what I am working on.
I am implementing the existing software by Siemens in our testing process. It is an existing, effective program that we can adapt to the various tests relatively easily."
Mohan Krishna Babu
- Position at VB-Airsuspension:
Product Development Intern - Internship duration:
6 – 8 months (7 November 2023 to 30 June 2024) - School:
HAN University of Applied Sciences - Opleiding:
Master Engineering System (Automotive track)
"My thanks go to Wim Vlaanderen (Product Development Team Leader) and Frank Kienhöfer (Innovation, Research & Development Engineer) for their support and cooperation during my internship at VB-Airsuspension. Their welcoming attitude really made a difference when I arrived here as a student. I really appreciate all their help! In addition, Kay Lamers (Senior Innovation, Research & Development Engineer) deserves an extra mention for his willingness to answer my questions. In addition, the help of Carlo Koster (Test Engineer) during testing was invaluable.
When I was exploring the possibilities for my graduation project, I came across VB-Airsuspension. Once I had submitted my CV, I was pleased to receive a response about the internship opportunity within a week.
My graduation project focused on sideload forces acting on the MacPherson strut (air-sprung). It was an important (learning) experience. The regular meetings and discussions I had with my colleagues gave me valuable insights. As someone with a passion for cars, it was a great pleasure to work on this project at VB-Airsuspension.
I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from the experts at VB-Airsuspension. Their expertise has contributed to my personal and professional growth during my time here."
A final word
A huge thank you to all our interns for sharing your experience at VB-Airsuspension. We wish you every success in your future careers! And, who knows, our paths may yet cross again. Because... our door is always open to friends old and new!
Are you or is someone you know still looking for an interesting internship, graduation internship or work placement? There could be more options out there than you think! VB-Airsuspension encompasses no less than 26 departments, and we are happy to consider your application to any of them. We offer several opportunities, such as internships in the following departments: Engineering, Testing & Workshop, Quality, Procurement, Logistics, HR, IT, Finance or Sales. We are also able to offer a wide range of options for (work) placements on the administrative side, such as in Sales or Procurement. Have we piqued your interest? Please feel free to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!