Three companies, three different organizational cultures and three weeks in China. The Lighthouse trainee program provided Emil Kotz with plenty of experience and a big contact network in just a few months. Now he recommends others to apply for the one-year program. The application period for 2020-2021 has just opened.

“I have always been interested in shipping and I saw the trainee program as an opportunity to gain a better insight into it. This can hardly be done on your own. I also knew that the companies participating in the program are very good at what they do, which of course made it even more attractive”, Emil Kotz says.

Not much more than a year has passed since he left KTH with a master's degree in hand and began his journey as a Lighthouse Trainee. Ahead was four months each at three different companies. First Wallenius Marine, then Alfa Laval and then Kongsberg.

In retrospect, the journey began where it ended - since October 1 this year, immediately after he completed the trainee program, Emil Kotz got employed as Design Manager at Wallenius Marine.

“I work mostly in the research project Wind Powered Car Carrier, which is to develop wind-driven car transport vessels. It is a revolutionary way of thinking and super fun.”

During the trainee period he spent three weeks on behalf of the company in China.

“I had previously learned how to build ships in theory. Now I got to see how it works practically. It was incredibly helpful.”

As a trainee, it is important to be curious and motivated. Emil Kotz describes the period as both challenging and intensive with many new environments and many new projects, often in areas that were completely new to him.

“I have learned a lot and gained many new interests. When you leave school you are often niched in smaller areas, but within all three companies I got to work very broadly and I learned their entire portfolios in a short time.”

He describes the contact network as something that has gone from zero to a hundred in just a few months. At Alfa Laval, for example, he sat daily on telephone and skype calls with contacts around Europe.

“I have shaken a lot of hands and got to know a lot of people in the industry. The trainee program is excellent for anyone who wants to gain an insight into the industry. It is a unique opportunity”, Emil Kotz says.

The application for 2020/2021 opened 15 December 2019 and close 31 January 2020. 
Applicants are required to:
• Have a strong interest in shipping and sees a future in the Swedish maritime and/or marine sector
• Master of Science in Naval Architecture or other relevant technical master's programs in Sweden
• Sufficient knowledge in Swedish to be able to participate in social contexts
• Excellent knowledge of English, both in speech and writing
• Maximum one year of work experience after graduation
• Good communication ability with the ability to network and build relationships

Read more and apply here