‘The SuccessDay traineeship has something for everyone’
The first group of SuccessDay HRIT trainees started work in September 2022. The participants opted for a program of working and learning at the same time, with a focus on customer support before, during and after an HRIT implementation. Trainees Jocelyne and Mirre tell us how they have experienced the traineeship so far. The second group will start soon, for which registration is now possible.
The first group of SuccessDay trainees hit the jackpot: in their very first week, these young professionals traveled to Budapest. The trip was all about getting to know each other better, and learning how an HRIT project works and all the different roles involved. “This really helped make us a close-knit group right from the start”, explains Mirre de Laat (22), who graduated in International Business from the Avans Hogeschool last year. SuccessDay was not completely new to her, because she also completed her graduation internship at the company in Eindhoven.
She posted on her LinkedIn profile that she was looking for an internship. Her uncle shared the message, after which Bas Eggelaar, one of the founders of SuccessDay, asked her to get in touch. “So that’s what I did. And I had such a good time there that I decided to apply for the traineeship after completing my internship. It is a young, rapidly growing company and I quickly discovered that HRIT really appeals to me. It can take you in all kinds of different directions. As I don’t yet know exactly what I want to focus on, it seemed like a great chance to try different things. I also wanted to learn more about the different areas within the branch, so when I heard they were establishing a traineeship at SuccessDay, I thought: I’m going to grab that opportunity with both hands!”, says Mirre, who had previously followed the course ‘Spotlight on Digital Business’ at the Fachhochschule St Pölten.
The world of tomorrow
She found herself in a group with six other young professionals (two men and four women), all with different backgrounds, ranging in age from 22 to 35 years. One of them is Jocelyne Franken (25). Jocelyne studied Psychology at Tilburg and then followed a master’s at Erasmus University: Organizational Dynamics in the Digital Society, which she completed in July 2022.
An HRIT implementation is not only about the technical, hard side. Above all, this is the world of tomorrow, I really see a future in it.
Jocelyne joined SuccessDay because she was approached by recruiter Emily who had discovered that she was looking for a young organization that was involved in digital transformation and project-based working. “I got in touch, and we immediately clicked. Not only did I want my first ‘real’ job to be interesting in terms of content, but I also wanted to work with nice colleagues. And that’s certainly the case here! It is a young, passionate and energetic team that is always keen to continue developing. There is an informal atmosphere. If I want to discuss something with management, I can just walk in for a chat. The lines of communication are short”, says the Junior Business Consultant/HRIT trainee at SuccessDay.
She finds the combination of people and technology very interesting. “An HRIT implementation is not only about the technical, hard side. Above all, this is the world of tomorrow, I really see a future in it.”
Working and learning at the same time
After the introductory week in Budapest, the group of trainees almost immediately started working for various clients. Coincidentally, Mirre and Jocelyne both joined Enza Zaden in Enkhuizen, where Mirre supported the project manager and Jocelyne took care of data support. Mirre: “I now also work as junior functional consultant at Aviko, because I am keen to delve a little deeper into the technical side.” She visits her clients regularly but works mostly from the SuccessDay office. “Nevertheless, it’s nice to see the people you work with face-to-face from time to time, so I’m more than happy to drive to Enkhuizen if necessary.”
Although Jocelyne initially focused mainly on the data aspect of HRIT implementation, at a certain point she realized that a different role might suit her better. “I wanted something more people-oriented.” At Enza Zaden she was able to take on the role of Functional Lead and join a project at Alliander, where she optimized the work instructions. And this week, she will also start as a PMO for yet another client. “It’s fantastic that you get the opportunity to try out so many different roles and that you learn so much about different types of organizations in a short space of time. This allows you to discover what suits you best.”
The trainees spend an average of four hours a week on training and development. Some weeks it’s a little more, some weeks less. For instance, there was an important system training course in the agenda during the first weeks. SuccessDay supports HRIT implementation for various suppliers, including Workday, Ceridian Dayforce, SuccessFactors, and Oracle Fusion. Mirre and Jocelyne both followed a Workday training course, whereas other trainees are schooled in different systems. Incidentally, it’s not just HRIT training courses. Soft skills are also covered. The courses are provided by both internal SuccessDay consultants and external parties. Bas Eggelaar, founder of SuccessDay: “At the end of the day, SuccessDay makes a difference because we bridge the gap between HR and technology. All consultants are therefore trained within HR and HRIT.”
Personal guidance
Trainees are also assigned a consultant who guides them in their personal development. Every week they have both a team call and a one-on-one call with their supervisor to discuss anything that comes up. Within the projects, the young talents are also substantively supervised by an experienced SuccessDay consultant. Mirre: “It’s great to always be able to talk things over with someone. And I’ve also noticed that the experienced employees also like receiving feedback from us.” Jocelyne agrees: “We are taken seriously and our input is really used. If we notice that our clients need certain skills, it is immediately addressed and incorporated into the training program. SuccessDay is really very agile. I sometimes feel like they put us on a pedestal, we are treated so well here.”
The trainees often receive feedback from clients that they are quick to pick things up. Organizations also appreciate the fresh attitude and boundless energy of young professionals. They take the older employees, who can be more resistant to change, in tow and dare to ask critical questions, which stimulates a detailed examination of whether the current working method really is the best. This can be very useful for organizations going through a digital transformation.
Highly recommended
Both young professionals ‘highly recommend’ the traineeship to people who are interested in digitization and who want to further their personal development. Moreover, it eases the transition from studying to working life. “Because you are part of a group, and there is a strong focus on training and personal development, it’s a very gradual process. We also learn a lot from each other. We take it in turns to organize a meeting every week, based on a theme that interests us, and to share our knowledge with the rest of the group.”
The trainees see a rosy future. “I definitely see myself staying on after the traineeship. I’ll be able to reach my full potential here. I feel just like a sponge, absorbing everything. I recently led a training session for one of my clients to the HR department in Mexico and the US. It gives me such a kick that I was given this chance and that it all went so smoothly”, explains Jocelyne proudly. Mirre is also having a great time and expects to stay on when the HRIT traineeship ends in September. “There are so many interesting facets within HRIT. SuccessDay has all roles on offer, so there’s something for everyone.”
Jocelyne emphasizes that you have to be flexible and able to handle stress in the world of consultancy. “The workload often goes in peaks and troughs. But the advantage of SuccessDay is that you have an unlimited number of vacation days, so when things are a bit quieter, you can go away for a long weekend or play an afternoon of golf if the weather’s fine. Just the fact that this is possible gives me peace of mind.” Another valued employment benefit is the personal trainer who is at your disposal a few times a week. But what the trainees like best about their employer is the atmosphere within the company. Jocelyne: “They are all goal-getters who really go for it, but are also incredibly helpful at the same time. And if it becomes clear that things need to be tackled differently, they simply adjust course. Everyone is given every opportunity to maximize their personal development and there is a lot of freedom and responsibility. So, I would say: If you have an affinity with HR and IT and you want to help bridge the gap between those two worlds, then sign up for the HRIT traineeship and who knows, maybe you’ll become our new colleague!”
