After a year with the Lighthouse trainee programme, Claes Tretow has begun his employment at Stena Teknik. A job he thanks the trainee programme for.

Lighthouse Trainee Programme gives each season two newly graduated Naval Architects the chance to work at several different maritime workplaces. The purpose of the trainee programme is to contribute to the competence of the Swedish maritime sector and provide an attractive career path.

During the trainee year, Claes Tretow spent four months at Alfa Laval, Stena Teknik and Transportstyrelsen.
"There has been a good mix of both theory and practice in the form of practical work with product tests, project management, programming, shipbuilding at yard and much more" says Claes Tretow.

The trainee program is coordinated by Lighthouse and together with the participating companies, an individually designed programme is put together for each trainee. Usually, a period at a shipyard abroad is included.
"Before the programme, I had a picture that it's all about technology, but there's so much more with shipping companies, agencies, classification societies, makers, designers, research institutes and so on. The trainee program gives a good picture of how things work together and as a trainee you get the chance to ask the basic questions and people are helpful and willing to answer.

What advice do you have for future trainees?
“You should have patience and be able to be independent in your work. You have to take responsibility to find your tasks, do not be afraid to ask for help, and do not be afraid to meet new people daily.”

Who should apply?
"If you are a naval architecture student and want to work in the industry, there is no better entry job," says Claes Tretow.

What do you think about the future and your new employer?
"There will be a lot of things going on in the industry over the coming years which is very exciting to be part of. Stena is a fantastic place to work at and has a lot of opportunities."

December 15, the application period for the next trainee program 2019/2020 opens. To apply for the trainee program, you need to meet the following requirements:
• Master of Science in Naval Architecture from Chalmers Technical University, Gothenburg or KTH, Royal institute of technology, Stockholm
• Good conversational skills and understanding in Swedish. 
• Excellent communications skills in English
• Maximum one year of work experience after graduation
• Good communication skills with the ability to network and build relationships

More information on Lighthouse Trainee Programme