One year has passed, a year filled with so many interesting meetings and exciting challenges. It’s sad in so many ways that the program is coming to its end. Unfortunately, from the very beginning its end has been as inevitable as death itself.

Now, new challenges are arising, one of them an abroad internship for 6 months. Like Andreas and Joakim, I will also go to the Netherlands. However, I will move beyond the walls of the entire GKN plc and instead go to ESA (European Space Agency). This is the first time since we became GKN that trainees are allowed to go outside of GKN for their abroad placements, something we have been fighting for several months to realize.
That we now have the possibility to move outside of GKN should of course be recognized as a huge success, mostly as the sole purpose of the trainee program is to bridge cooperation and create networks, not only within GKN but also within the heart of the European industry.

There are a lot on the to-do list the next few weeks, much of it concerning accommodation, car, insurances and other paperwork. Then, of course, one must wrap up unfinished projects and delegate work tasks. Maybe you wonder what I will do at ESA? Well, at the moment of writing, I together with my supervisor is working on a directive for the project. However, I can reveal that it will involve their AM processes and material studies. I will also work to try initiating a collaboration within additive manufacturing.

I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and I will do all I can to take advantage of it. This will be very exciting indeed, towards the Netherlands and beyond!