Having worked at Albert Heijn stores for over eight years, Puck Coorens was aware of traineeship possibilities at Ahold Delhaize. The recently introduced International HR Traineeship, however, was new to her. Because she’d heard about it from a colleague quite late in the application process, she discovered she had exactly 24 hours left to apply. “In this traineeship I’m offered a chance to identify my strong points, as well as work on any gaps that need attention. I’m also provided with the coaching and training I need to develop my skills even further. That’s extremely valuable.”
In those 24 hours, Puck had to fill in all the necessary enrolment forms plus take an online assessment. At the same time, she also had to work two shifts at the Albert Heijn store in Amstelveen, where she was managing the fresh produce section at the time. It was what you’d call ‘a race against the clock’. “I did the assessment at 11pm, exactly one hour before the deadline. After that, three more admission rounds followed. I was working 30 hours a week, completing my master’s thesis and writing the last few exams. It was one of the most stressful times of my life, which made me even more ecstatic when I was told I was selected.”
Seven years ago, in the Albert Heijn in Leiden, one of Puck’s colleagues took part in the company’s Retail Management Traineeship program. “He told me how hard it had been to get in, and how thoroughly he enjoyed it. I decided then and there that one day, I would follow suit. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to see all the different sides of the company, while seizing the chance to grow – both on a personal level and within this company.”
A blessing in disguise
Alas, when the end of her master’s degree was in sight, the Retail Traineeship was postponed due to the outbreak of COVID. Then Puck found out about the International HR Traineeship, and she was even more excited. “The Retail Traineeship involved a year of working in one of Ahold Delhaize’s stores. Having worked at Albert Heijn stores for over eight years, that didn’t really appeal to me, to be honest. So when I learned that the International HR Traineeship excluded that obligatory year, and instead allowed trainees to work abroad in one of Ahold Delhaize’s international support offices, I was thrilled. This suited me down to the ground!”
With her background – she holds a bachelor’s degree in economics – Puck could also have opted for the International Finance Traineeship. “In the past five years, I’ve had several managerial roles at Albert Heijn stores, and I’ve always particularly enjoyed HR-related matters. For me, focusing on people’s development and training them yields more satisfaction than dealing with hard numbers and the operational side of the business, I guess. I find the human aspect of business really appealing – so the HR traineeship was just up my alley.”
Collective effort
“Our group consists of 14 trainees. Four are based abroad; 10 are in the Netherlands. There are two of us – a guy named Matthias and me – taking part in the HR-focused traineeship, while the others pursue the International Finance Traineeship. That said, we work on the larger part of the program together, such as development trajectories and coaching sessions. Doing this as a group makes a huge difference. Even though we don’t see each other in person often, the mere fact that there are 13 others joining in on a shared experience adds enormous value for me. Sometimes I might have a question that I could ask my manager, but I can also pose it to our traineeship WhatsApp group. Apart from being a sounding board for the business side of things, it’s great to be able to share stories with each other. Even though we don’t know each other that well (yet), the group is very relaxed, open and warm. Due to COVID, we haven’t yet met face-to-face. Hopefully this May we’ll be able to get together as a group for the first time.”
When asked for a few words to describe the traineeship so far, Puck mentions ‘dynamic, insightful and team spirit’. “I hadn’t realized exactly how big Ahold Delhaize is. I was initially concerned about getting lost in the crowd but that did not happen. What you do does get noticed. I love working for such a high-performing, dynamic and caring company that affords its trainees and employees ample opportunity to develop and grow.”
Puck Coorens (1996)
Studied: MA Entrepreneurship, University of Amsterdam (2021)
Living with: Two friends, in Amsterdam
Best book ever read: Thrillers or detective stories
Favourite series on Netflix or TV: Friends
Most inspiring person: My mother
Can be woken up in the middle of the night for: A holiday
Three items to take to a desert island: My phone, an e-reader and a ball (to play sports games with)
Life-changing event: Losing a good friend when I was 19
Biggest accomplishment in life so far: Getting to where I am today
