We recently welcomed 45 students from NHL STENDEN Hogeschool studying technical business administration. The visit was organised by the Innovation cluster Drachten (ICD). They visited four ICD companies on the day: Kwantcontrols, Hytrans, Stork Turbo Blading and Ventura Systems. The day was dedicated to the theme of improving processes in various industries, which technical business experts often excel at.

Around noon, the group arrived at Ventura where, after lunch, they attended a presentation by Ventura on the Configure To Order project (CTO) and a presentation by STORK on redesigning broken turbine blades. Then it was time for a tour of the company, where the students could explore a specific part in three groups. After each tour, the students moved on to a new part.

Feedback from the students was very positive and during the tour they asked good questions. The day not only gave students the opportunity to gain knowledge from these companies, but also gave them a chance to make important contacts and orientate themselves on their future careers. With a handy fold-out overview of all 23 ICD companies, including a QR code that gives direct access to all current internships, we expect to see many students back when they start their internships. In addition, the students' visit was also good for our general awareness in the region.