Alumnus testimonial
Esmée – sustainable officer at the Municipality of Best
‘’My tip: do what you enjoy and what you find interesting, and you will be truly energised!’’
Dutch student Esmeé became a ‘sustainability officer’ at the Municipality of Best in the Netherlands. She studied a master’s Communication, Health and Life Sciences at the Wageningen University & Research and like to share her thoughts on her study and current job.
My job is more focused on sustainability than on communication, but I do notice that communication is an essential part of everything I work on.
How did studying at Wageningen University & Research prepare you for your career?
"’I decided very consciously for this master's in Wageningen. The possibility to focus on life sciences in addition to the social sciences greatly appealed to me. I haven't regretted my decision for a second. You have many different paths open to and you receive support in this regard. In most courses, you are free to choose your own subjects and you are therefore always engaging with topics you find interesting. I focused on climate, sustainability and environmental sciences, because I wanted to find a job in these fields.
During my master’s, I did an internship at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Germany, where I was actively involved in the Climate Summit of 2017 (COP23 for those who know): an incredible opportunity and an unforgettable experience.’’
Could you tell us more about your work experience after your master’s?
"I'm sure that without these studies and my internship, I wouldn't be working as a sustainability officer at the Municipality of Best right now. My job is more focused on sustainability than on communication, but I do notice that communication is an essential part of everything I work on. At the municipality, for example, I am involved with the Regional Energy Strategy (RES) and moving away form natural gas in neighbourhoods. This partly consists of technical research but also of communicating with residents, businesses and involving them in all our processes. This makes my job a good mix of strategic thinking and project execution. I enjoy going to work every day!’’
What advice would you give other students based on your own experience?
"My tip: do what you enjoy and what you find interesting, and you will be truly energised! For example, by choosing a challenging internship, you can explore what you are good at and what you enjoy. That experience alone helps you find a job you can feel truly passionate about.’’