THE PLACEMENT REPORT

University of Groningen

University of Groningen

THE PLACEMENT REPORT

A.S. Zrodlowski

adam.zrodlowski@gmail.com

Placement supervisors

Bastiaan Aardema, University of Groningen Sybren de Jong, N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie

Contents

1. Introduction ………….……… 2

2. Orientation, Preparation, and Formalities prior to the Placement ………. 4

3. During the Placement .………. 8

2

Introduction

While many graduate students perceive a placement merely as a mandatory component of their study program, I believe that an internship should be regarded rather as a unique opportunity and a valuable investment in one’s future. My internship at N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie (herewith: Gasunie) helped me determine my desired career path, and allowed me to acquire relevant work experience beyond an academic setting.

As an intern at Business Development Department of Gasunie, I conducted a multidisciplinary study on trends and developments in the Polish gas market. The purpose of my research was two-fold. Firstly, I sought to assess the potential impact of developments in the Polish gas market on business activities of Gasunie, and secondly I aimed to identify and assess potential business opportunities for Gasunie in Poland. In doing so, I intended to contribute to internationalization of Gasunie’s business activities. In my study, I addressed a wide range of issues ranging from the existing market structure and key players, regulatory and policy framework to infrastructural developments and projected future demand for natural gas in Poland. Apart from acquiring practical knowledge and work experience, the placement enabled me to improve my interpersonal and organizational skills. Looking back, I can conclude with certainty that my placement at Gasunie was a fruitful experience.

In this report I reflect on the learning process that I have undergone during my internship at Gasunie, and explain how the placement contributed to my personal development and to the development of my professional career. In doing so, I elaborate on the entire placement process, ranging from preparation to completion of my internship.

The remainder of the paper is structured as follows. Section 2 provides a nuanced overview of the orientation and preparation process that preceded the placement. Here, I explain how I found and secured an internship position at Gasunie, and provide a rationale as to why I have chosen to undertake a research placement at this institution. In this section, I also stress the importance of being proactive, networking, and remaining optimistic despite potential hurdles. The following section dwells on the placement itself and the period I spent at Gasunie. Here, I describe the scope of tasks and duties that I embraced as an intern

3

and reflect on the learning process that I have undergone as a result of the placement. In doing so, I explain, among others, my personal learning objectives, strengths, and weaknesses, and how I embraced them. The last section offers concluding remarks and provides suggestions to students that are searching for placement opportunities.

About the placement provider: N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie

Gasunie is a European gas infrastructure company specializing in transport of natural gas in the Netherlands and the Northern part of Germany. The company owns and operates over 15 000 kilometers of pipelines and transports approximately 125 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas per annum. As a gas transmission system operator (herewith: TSO), Gasunie is also responsible for the maintenance and development of the transmission grid. Accordingly, the company participates in a number of international gas infrastructure projects, such as Nord Stream 1, BBL, EUGAL, or German LNG terminal. Gasunie is fully owned by the Dutch Ministry of Finance.

4

Step 1 – Orientation and preparation for the placement

My sheer interest in geopolitics of natural gas evolved already during my bachelor studies in International Relations and International Organizations at University of Groningen. As a consequence of my fascination with the topic, I dedicated my Bachelor thesis to examining the impact of Russo-Ukrainian gas crises on the EU energy policy. Having completed my bachelor’s program, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in International Relations (International Security) to deepen my knowledge about geopolitics of energy. Already at that moment, I knew that I want to devote my professional career to working on issues related to energy. With that in mind, I looked for an internship opportunity that would bring me a step closer to attaining this objective. After less than a month of orientation, I was lucky to secure an internship position at Business Development department of one of Europe’s leading gas infrastructure companies – N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie. In this section, I dwell on the orientation and application process that preceded my internship, and reflect on the lessons that I have learned throughout that process.

The orientation process, where I actively searched for a placement position, has begun with a meeting with Coby van der Linde, Director of Clingendael International Energy Program (CIEP) and my former professor. During the meeting we discussed a broad range of issues, including my general research interests, a possibility of doing a research placement at CIEP, as well as a potential topic for a placement project. Ultimately, I did not manage to secure an internship at Clingendael, as the topic I proposed – Polish energy policy towards Russia – did not correspond with the research agenda of the CIEP. Nonetheless, my meeting with Coby van der Linde was very fruitful and therefore of high significance. Having discussed my interests and career objectives, I came to a conclusion that I would like to undertake a placement in a commercial setting. Accordingly, professor Van der Linde triggered me to think about a different topic that would be appealing to energy companies, and would increase my chances of securing an internship position in the private sector. Without a shade of doubt, this meeting had a tremendous impact on the rest of my orientation process.

Shortly after the meeting, I reached out to my network on contacts on LinkedIn in a post asking for further tips on the topic of my placement project as well as leads on a potential

5

placement provider that might have interest in the subject. To my surprise, the post reverberated throughout LinkedIn very quickly, and within hours I received feedback from across the world. The day after, I was exchanging correspondence with a potential placement provider in Germany, namely Gazprom Germania. I was introduced to the company by my acquaintance and a former PhD student at RUG – Tim Boersma – who saw my post on LinkedIn. Even though there seemed to be a mutual interest in the topic of my project, ultimately I was not offered a placement position at Gazprom Germania, mainly due to reservations against my national background. Nonetheless, the discussions with the company were constructive and beneficial, as they helped me notice and address some of the methodological flaws that previously I did not see. I was not discouraged by the rejection. Quite the contrary, I considered it as a “blessing in disguise” – as I preferred to undertake a placement in the Netherlands.

At the same time, I was approached by my acquaintance, Eddie Lycklama a Nijeholt, who works at N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie. Eddie and I have met earlier that year at the VentureLab North – a business accelerator program, which we both took part in. Eddie expressed his interest in the topic of my placement project by leaving a comment under my post. Following the old saying ‘strike while the iron is hot’ I immediately contacted Eddie and proposed to meet and further discuss the topic of my research project. During the first meeting, apart from discussing the proposed topic of my placement project, we also discussed my competences, research interests, the degree program I follow, and my plans for the future. More importantly, I stressed how my project will add value to the company and the German LNG Terminal project, thereby showing my knowledge about Gasunie’s profile and strategy. Following the meeting, Eddie circulated my request internally to find a potential placement supervisor. Within days after our encounter, Eddie circled back on our conversation to provide me with positive news – “we have found a person, who has sufficient expertise to supervise you and is willing to do so.” At that moment, I already forgot about Gazprom Germania and was determined to undertake a placement at Gasunie. A week later, my supervisor (Sybren de Jong), Eddie, and I met at Gasunie to discuss the details of my placement, such as the length and timing of the internship period. Subsequently, I drafted a paper proposal and a placement plan, in which I outlined the duties and tasks that I will carry out during my internship. I established contact and

6

scheduled a meeting with my placement coordinator – Bastiaan Aardema – to provide him with an update on the progress made and discuss my proposal.

During the meeting with my placement coordinator, we discussed the criteria for assessment of the placement and assessed the fit between my internship at Gasunie and my area of specialization. Unfortunately, there were certain caveats. At that moment, it became evident that my plan of treating my master thesis as my placement project was flawed and doomed from the outset, as the two constitute separate course units and cannot be combined. Throughout the process, I remained in regular contact with my future placement supervisor at Gasunie to avoid any potential miscommunications and delays. In consultation with the placement provider and the placement coordinator at RUG, I altered the initial topic of my research project from US sanctions to the gas market in Poland. The new topic reflected my strong interest in geopolitics of natural gas and was appealing to Gasunie. With all parties on board, it was the time to formalize the agreement by concluding a placement contract.

Gasunie had a strong preference to use its own placement agreement, which contradicted certain provisions of the IRIO placement contract. In line with the internship contract prepared by Gasunie, the company holds copyrights for the report resulting from my placement. Placement contract of the university, on the other hand, stipulates that it is the student who has the copyright on the results of the placement report.1 _{To show the}

flexibility and my determination to undertake a placement at Gasunie, I revoked my copyright on the paper to the company and discussed this with Bastiaan Aardema. In addition to Gasunie’s placement agreement, I have signed a non-disclosure agreement. Having reached consensus, we finalized all the paper work. Consequently, I was ready to start my adventure as a Business Development intern at Gasunie.

The topic of my placement project strongly corresponded with my (research) interests, namely natural gas markets and geopolitics. I felt attracted to Gasunie, due to the strategic focus of the company and its participation in several projects that have a strong political connotation, such as Nord Stream 1 or EUGAL. I knew also that the internship at this organization might help me advance my career in energy sector. Gasunie actively pursues its

7

strategy of internationalization. With my research I could tangibly contribute to realizing this objective and examine phenomena that are at the heart of IR studies.

Finding a suitable placement is not an easy task. Throughout the process you will come across a number of obstacles that are beyond your control. Nonetheless, you can increase your chances of securing a placement in a number of ways. As described in the section above, building and nurturing a network of contacts is of crucial importance. Be proactive and engage in active discussions with your acquaintances. Do not hesitate to reach out to your network for input on your placement projects and leads on potential placement providers. The feedback I received from my network allowed me to finetune the research proposal, making my project more appealing to energy companies. Additionally, my acquaintances helped me connecting with a number of potential placement providers. Do not be afraid of criticism or being rejected – embrace it. That is a part of the game and an important element of the learning process. Looking back, I know it is easier to be said than done, but try to maintain a positive-mind set in spite of all the complications you might experience, and be open to new ideas. By following this logic, I succeeded at finding a placement relatively quickly – in just one month.

In the next section, I will reflect on the period I spent at Gasunie. Apart from elaborating on the scope of tasks and duties I was given, I will reflect on what I have learned throughout the placement and elaborate on my impressions, as well as future career orientation and prospects. In doing so, I will explain the role that the internship played in shaping my future career path.

8

Step 2 – During the Placement

First day & Initial Impressions

On 1 October 2017, roughly two months after securing a placement position, I began my four month long Master internship. On the first day, my placement supervisor at Gasunie, Sybren de Jong, took utmost care to ensure that I instantly become a member of the team. Upon the entry, I received my personal badge, which gave me access to Gasunie’s office, and login credentials to access Gasunie’s intranet and my email account. I then followed a mandatory training on safety and code of conduct at Gasunie. Having successfully completed the course, my supervisor explained to me the structure of the company and the role Business Development Gas department - a unit I was going to work at for the next four months - plays in fulfilling Gasunie’s strategy. Subsequently, I was introduced to our colleagues from different departments, who welcomed me with great enthusiasm. During the introductory round, my new colleagues have shown a considerable interest in my research. They raised relevant questions regarding my paper and provided me with feedback, which helped me further structure my paper proposal. At the end of the day, my supervisor and I discussed the placement plan and set the first deadlines.

Briefly after commencing my placement at Gasunie, I contacted Bastiaan Aardema, my placement coordinator at the university, to reflect on the work environment and my first impressions, which were very positive. The work culture at Gasunie is considerably more informal than within the academic setting, and everyone – including the top management – is very approachable and easygoing. Perhaps, the best example depicting the laidback atmosphere at Gasunie is the presence of foosball table, which is regularly occupied by employees from different departments. It should be noted, however, that it is definitely easier to ‘blend in’ and connect with colleagues when one speaks Dutch. Therefore, throughout the placement, I practiced my Dutch and that was widely appreciated and respected by my colleagues.

The days that followed

As noted earlier, during my internship at Gasunie, I conducted a multidisciplinary research on the Polish gas market with the aim of identifying and assessing potential business

9

opportunities in Poland. One may wonder why Gasunie has given an assignment on this particular topic, and why I decided to embrace this challenge. As a company, Gasunie has three strategic objectives: (i) maintain its historical position and role in the value chain; (ii) find business opportunities in the field of renewable energy; and (iii) expand its presence abroad. My placement project, therefore, sought to contribute to internationalization of company’s business activities, and therefore achieve one of Gasunie’s strategic objectives. My national background and fluency in the Polish language, as well as my strong interest in the Polish gas market and geopolitical dimension of energy are the primary reason why I (was) chos(en) to work on this assignment. The company’s profile - its international focus of the company and participation in gas infrastructure projects that have a strong (geo)political connotation, such as Nord Stream 1 or EUGAL – have motivated me to apply for a placement position at Gasunie. Prior to my internship, I anticipated that a placement at this organization will help me advance my career in energy sector, and allow me to gain practical knowledge about the functioning of the European gas market. To a large extent, my placement at Gasunie has by far surpassed my initial expectations.

I was given a high degree of trust, confidence, and freedom to plan and work independently. I felt that the output I generated was appreciated both by my supervisor at Gasunie and my colleagues. Throughout the placement, I regularly discussed my findings with the supervisor, who provided me with constructive feedback and challenged me to think. As a student of International Relations, I am used to conducting a theory driven research, where I seek to either apply or test various IR theories. During my internship, however, I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone and assess a number of developments using a more applied approach. However, I did compliment my findings with the academic knowledge and skills – for instance when explaining the Polish energy policy and law – to provide a better understanding of the rationale behind certain developments and trends. My colleagues, on the other hand, rarely perceive different phenomena through a lens of theory. They tend to take a practical hands-on approach to problem solving. Having said that, they were very receptive to my idea of assessing various phenomena using theoretical approaches, which they found insightful and useful.

Sometimes I felt that I lack the industry knowledge and work experience, or perhaps just confidence, to provide the company with advice. Consequently, I would discuss my analysis

10

and findings with the supervisor, who would raise stimulating, open-ended questions, and provide me with additional information that helped me draw conclusions and deliver a comprehensive risk assessment the company wanted. Having concluded a written report, I presented my findings to colleagues from different units, who found my presentation well-structured, interesting, and informative. Following the presentation, my supervisor – Sybren de Jong – and I have elaborated on my overall performance through the evaluation form. I was more conservative and critical in my assessment than my supervisor, perhaps due to my perfectionism, which at times hindered my productivity. My relationship with the supervisor was good throughout the placement. Mr. Jong proved to have beyond sufficient experience and expertise to supervise students. He is very approachable, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and I look forward to staying in touch with Sybren in the future.

Apart from allowing me to acquire work experience outside the academic setting, the placement provided me with a great opportunity to advance my interpersonal skills and further expand my network of contacts. Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of my placement was the ability to interact and learn from Gasunie’s executive board members, including the CEO Han Fennema. In addition to connecting with professionals within the company, the placement at Gasunie enabled me to attended several events, where I engaged in discussions with energy professionals from both the public and private sectors, including for instance the EU Commission (DG Energy), ExxonMobil, Statoil, or Oxford International Energy Studies (OIES), with whom I briefly explored a possibility of future collaboration and employment.

11

Conclusion

The internship at Gasunie has been an overwhelmingly positive experience, which allowed me to evolve both on the personal and professional levels. I am grateful for the opportunity and trust I have been given by my supervisors and the company. As an intern at Business Development department of Gasunie, I expanded my knowledge and understanding of the geopolitics and the functioning of natural gas markets in Europe. Having undertaken a placement at Gasunie, I see how I can put into practice the theoretical knowledge and skills gained during my studies. As a reward for my performance during the placement, I received an opportunity to carry out another study, which seeks to assess the impact of public acceptance issues on business decisions of the Dutch gas sector, and present the findings at the World Gas Conference (WGC) in Washington D.C. in June this year. This, on the other hand, illustrates that hard work and proactive stance are of essence not just during the orientation and application process, but also in the course of the internship itself.

I believe that my placement at Gasunie had also a decisive impact on my career. Not only has it helped me determine my career path, but it also has enabled me to take a step closer in the right direction. Following my internship, I decided to submit an application for Gasunie’s two yearlong Management Traineeship.