Youssef decided to leave his home in Egypt and study in Twente because ‘it felt like the perfect fit’. He moved to Enschede together with his twin brother, who now coincidently studies the same programme Youssef chose in the first place. ‘I wanted to study Industrial Engineering & Management at the UT because I’ve always had an engineering mindset, but I also really like business. When I realized there was a study that mixed both, I just knew. From the first moment, I knew this was the study for me.’
Right after graduating, Youssef began his full-time job at E. van Wijk Forwarding in November 2024. He was already familiar with the company, though. ‘As part of my study, I did an internship there, helping them improve the warehouse layout to make the outbound process more efficient.’
'Twente might be a smaller circle but there are plenty of changes here'
Instead of spending his internship at home behind a computer, Youssef spent most of his time on site, talking to colleagues and learning about the company. ‘I felt really comfortable here and wanted to stay after my graduation’, he says. ‘This was mostly thanks to the people. My coworkers are very helpful and supportive.’ And so, Youssef quickly applied for the vacancy of Junior Business Analyst and was excited to get the position.
‘In my role, I work on business intelligence. I analyse data from several departments, such as sales, operations and marketing, and I generate meaningful insights to increase revenue and reduce costs’, he explains. ‘This can help us forecast future risks, identify bottlenecks and so on. It is always about optimization, about finding what’s not working optimally and improving it. I really like that.’
Youssef enjoys not only the job itself, but the local culture as well. ‘I feel there is a really good balance between working flexibly and making the most of every working hour’, he says. Another advantage of working in Twente, Youssef adds, is that it allows you to build a strong Dutch network. ‘There is this mainstream idea that good jobs can mostly be found in big cities like Amsterdam, but there are a lot of opportunities in Twente too. Twente might be a smaller circle but there are a plenty of changes here. I think that’s a bit of a misconception about the region. Many people might think that you can only get a job here if you speak Dutch, but not all companies are like that. You can also find a job as an English speaker, develop yourself and learn the language as you go along.’
For Youssef, there is no reason to move away anytime soon. ‘I see myself staying in Twente’, he says. ‘I like the region. It is very nice and calm. When I first arrived here, it was a strange feeling because everything was completely new. The people, the landscape, the language. But now it feels like a second home.’
roots
With the magazine ROOTS we want to connect students and companies. We do this by bringing stories of starters on the labor market. We also post advertorials. In this way, companies come into the spotlight of students and students get an idea of the life that awaits them and what opportunities there are in the region.
Are you a recent graduate (<5), do you live and work in the region of Twente, Achterhoek or just across the border in Germany and do you want to share your story? Or do you want to advertise as a company? Let us know via [email protected]
