Student Eric: 'I want to decorate my house with gadgets and technical gadgets'

Have you seen the new recruitment campaign featuring our own students yet? They're all smiles in the photo, as they're already enjoying their studies at mboRijnlandCurious why student Eric (17), second-year Vocational Technician Engineering student in Gouda, chose this course? Read the interview!  

Boy's dream

"My father works in metal technology, and as a little boy, I sometimes went to his work. I found those big machines very interesting and knew even then: this is what I want to do later. Because I would like to pursue a higher professional education after my vocational education (MBO) degree, I chose Vocational HAVO Technician Engineering. Next to my Engineering Technician training I also take pre-university education subjects like physics, math, and English. I think they combine very well."

Working with electronics

The best part of the program is the variety: you learn about technological developments, work on projects, and have a lot of freedom. Want an extra assignment or more of a challenge? You'll have plenty of room to do so. I especially enjoy working with electronics because you constantly have to discover how electrical components work and how to combine them. Once you understand that, it really gets fun. For one project, I and other students are designing and coding a nearly two-meter-long clock for a company's meeting room. The clock has an alarm, indicates which meetings are taking place, and uses light colors to indicate whether the room is occupied.

Choose a study program

In the second year, you choose a program, such as Smart Technology or Smart Industry. Smart Technology focuses on design, drawing, and creating electrical diagrams. Smart Industry focuses more on automation and measurement and control technology. I'm currently doing an internship at an American candle factory in Gouda, where I'm learning all about electrical engineering. The company wants to innovate and replace analog sensors in machines with digital ones, so that all operations are controlled by a computer. It's been a tremendous learning experience to be involved in that.

House full of gadgets

"My dream for the future is to furnish my own home with all kinds of gadgets and technical features. I can't wait and will soon be making a special lighting system for my bedroom. My teacher Robert Krens This really inspires me. He has a 'magic mirror' in his living room where you can see all sorts of information, like the time and your calendar. I want to have that someday too."

Top athlete in rescue swimming

I'm not just focused on my studies, as I'm in the water four times a week. I'm on the Dutch lifeguard team and train in the pool and the North Sea to get someone to shore as quickly as possible. I also competed in the European Championships in Germany and Poland. That was a truly amazing experience! Fortunately, I can easily combine top-level sports and studying. I can do a lot of my homework in class, and if I submit my assignments on time, it's no problem if I have to compete abroad during the academic year.

Photo Shoot

I really enjoyed the photoshoot for the recruitment campaign! I'd never done anything like it before and it was a fantastic experience. I enjoyed it so much that I participated in another photoshoot a week later.