Meet Daniëlle Metz, one of our first hires in the Netherlands since Exellys (a Projective Group company) opened a brand-new office in Amsterdam. She just finished a 3-month data traineeship in London that we organised together with DTSQUARED.
Danielle’s specs
- 26 years young
- Studied Artificial Intelligence in Groningen (NL)
- Did a Computer Science term in Sweden
- Interrupted her Master’s to work in a cultural student centre for a year, gaining valuable experience while figuring out the topic of her dissertation
- Enjoys watching films and series as well as gaming
- Likes running, going to the gym and taking walks
- Has an artistic side: drawing, singing, playing guitar, etc.
Hi Daniëlle! Let’s start at the beginning: How did you get in touch with Exellys?
At the end of my Master’s, there was a career day at school. I joined one of my friends in a conversation with Bonne from Exellys. I was immediately interested, because their unique offer was exactly what I was looking for. I didn’t feel completely ready to go out into the world on my own and start working yet, so having those two years where you get a ton of coaching and training, really spoke to me.
How did you experience our selection procedure?
It was a lot more laid back than I had expected – but I like that about you guys. My first interview with Bonne felt more like an informal chat than a job interview. The second interview with Leslie, who’s now my Talent Development Manager, was a bit more serious. I wasn’t sure how I was doing, but Leslie reassured me that he was very impressed with me. That made me feel at ease right away.
How did you end up working and living in London for over three months?
Projective Group was organising a 3-month Data traineeship in London. I didn’t sign for this traineeship specifically, I would’ve taken other opportunities as well. But as it turned out, this data traineeship was perfect for me. I had always wanted to live in the UK, so the prospect of being submerged in the world of data and learning new things, whilst living and working in London, was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up!
What was the traineeship like?
We were 6 EU grads in total, joining five UK grads. Over the course of 3 months, we got submerged in everything to do with data. Our mentor Rupert Pearson was our guide, and we also each got a buddy within Projective Group UK.
It truly was a great experience for me. I learned so much. We worked on projects, wrote a whitepaper, got to know different techniques and got acquainted with different parts of the business. We did a lot of different things over the weeks, but I guess that’s what a consultant does, so it was a good preparation for our later careers.
It wasn’t all hard work though, we had a lot of fun as well. We regularly joined each other for drinks and during our first week, Projective Group’s UK management team took us out for a fancy dinner at The Ned, that was very impressive as well. Every weekend we went out exploring London or a nearby town. The people were so open, I made a lot of friends there and I’m sure those friendships will continue for a long time.
What about housing during your time in London?
All accommodation was arranged by Projective Group. Because they had trouble finding a place for all six of us to live we stayed in a fancy hotel with a view of Big Ben and London Eye for the first three weeks. That was amazing. After that, we moved into two apartments close to each other. The apartments were very nice as well. And a free place to live in London? It doesn’t get much better than that!
With the traineeship and your London adventure wrapped up. what does the future hold for you?
I was offered the chance to stay in London after finishing my traineeship, and I took it. So I’ll be there for at least another year. That’s what’s so great about Exellys, DTSQUARED and the Projective Group ecosystem: there are so many opportunities.
That’s great! Do you have any tips or advice for young talent like yourself regarding working abroad?
I’d say: Do it! It’s one of the greatest experiences you can have. Not everybody gets the chance to work abroad so if the opportunity presents itself, you should definitely take it. It’ll teach you a lot about yourself, working with people from different cultures, etc. I can highly recommend doing it if you ever have the chance.
Thanks for sharing your story, Daniëlle!
Has Daniëlle’s story inspired you? Next to Data, we’re constantly organising new (international) traineeships. So keep an eye on our website and follow us on social media to stay in the loop!
About Projective Group
Established in 2006, Projective Group is a leading Financial Services change specialist. With deep expertise across practices in Data, Payments, Transformation and Risk & Compliance.
We are recognised within the industry as a complete solutions provider, partnering with clients in Financial Services to provide resolutions that are both holistic and pragmatic. We have evolved to become a trusted partner for companies that want to thrive and prosper in an ever-changing Financial Services landscape.
