“It was six months full of new experiences, and I learned so many new things.”

Business Administration student Deion Haessakkers (22) has just completed an internship and a graduate research project at Farm Trans. Business Administration is a broad programme that can take you in any direction. Deion completed his internship at the Pallet Management department. He hopes to find work in the food industry in the future.

When the Associate degrees Academy in Roosendaal organised a business fair, Deion came across Farm Trans. He says: “The Farm Trans reps had a nice way of explaining the company. I clicked with Farm Trans the best: they really appealed to me.” Not long afterwards, Deion started at the Pallet Management department of Farm Trans Fresh & Frozen.

Deion's internship period coincided with his graduate research project. His graduate thesis? Deion explains: “I was required to complete my thesis using the Lean methodology. This methodology is used to create value for both internal and external customers and eliminate waste in processes.”

At Farm Trans, Deion focused on structuring the Pallet Management department more efficiently. The entire department and all processes were closely examined, Deion: “Efficiently streamlining the processes was the big picture. My concrete goal focused on restructuring the management to make it more efficient.”

In addition to conducting his research, Deion also worked in the department. His tasks revolved around updating and making Pallet Management more efficient. Deion: “Pallet Management is a complex process; it is much bigger than I originally thought.”

What does the work in Pallet Management involve? Deion explains: “Pallet Management involves updating and managing pallet data within a company or organisation. We process waybills, CMRs, and ensure that the pallet numbers are correct. It’s mainly about verification, actually. Because we link the CMRs to the right orders, the invoices are correctly created and sent. Pallets are sensitive to both price and market. In more concrete terms: If I give you 33 pallets, I should receive 33 pallets back. If this is not possible, we will make a note of it. And if it is still not possible to receive these pallets back at a later date, we will then charge for the pallets.”

Deion concludes by looking back on his internship: “I enjoyed working side by side with the staff. Commercial goods transport is very dynamic: something different happens every day. Farm Trans gave me free rein, even if the emphasis was on earning my degree. “It was six months full of new experiences, and I learned so many new things.”