Sometimes, a traineeship assignment starts in the most unexpected places. For Venturn Young Professional Robert Roosen, that place was a padel evening. A spontaneous introduction with Nextlogic employees eventually led to an assignment in which he built a discipline that did not yet exist within the organisation. Community management became his field of work. And along the way, Robert also discovered more about his own way of working.
An unexpected start
At fairly short notice, Robert joined Nextlogic’s monthly padel evening. There, he got talking to several employees. An informal coffee followed. “It quickly became clear during that conversation that there was a mutual connection as well as an interesting challenge at hand.” Even before there was any official assignment, they were already actively discussing possible solutions.
That challenge eventually brought him to Nextlogic, an organisation of around fifteen employees working on something that is unique worldwide. The company develops and manages a system that creates an optimal port-wide schedule for container barging in the Port of Rotterdam every ten minutes.
Behind that system lies a complex puzzle in which terminals, inland shipping operators, depots, and other parties continuously provide information and depend on each other’s choices.
That combination is exactly what made the assignment interesting to Robert. “On the one hand, there are a lot of data- and software-driven specialists with a huge passion for innovation. On the other hand, Nextlogic operates in an environment where different parties have different interests and where change is not always a given.”
From a need to discipline
From November 2025 until June 2026, Robert worked as Community & Communications Lead. A role that did not yet exist within Nextlogic.
There were already activities that could be classified as community management, such as newsletters and governance meetings. But there was no clear vision, structure, or owner. “My assignment was therefore to turn a need into a concrete discipline.”
To determine where to start, Robert first listened. He conducted market research and spoke with users, customers, and colleagues. What was happening within the organisation? How did users view Nextlogic? Where were there opportunities to strengthen relationships?
From this, an increasingly clearer picture gradually emerged. Professionalisation was needed in areas such as governance meetings, information sharing and responsibilities. But involvement proved to be just as important. How do you ensure that users feel heard and understand the impact their own behaviour has on the collective result?
Staying close to the operation
One of the initiatives Robert particularly enjoyed working on were the planners’ visits. Every Wednesday, Nextlogic welcomed a user to the office for a behind-the-scenes look.
That provided valuable insights on both sides. Users gained a better understanding of Nextlogic’s challenges. At the same time, the organisation learned from their day-to-day practice.
Robert also gained valuable insights outside the office. He visited several companies and got a glimpse into the lives of inland shipping skippers. “A visit to skipper Joannes was especially interesting. It gave me a much better understanding of the life and passion of an inland skipper.”
Personal development
The assignment gave Robert more than just professional experience. He likes concrete results, short lines of communication, and moving quickly. Nextlogic, however, operates in an environment where a great deal of alignment is required, and changes take time. “That required patience.”
At the same time, he learned to think more conceptually and strategically. Translating a long-term vision into concrete actions for today turned out to be a skill he had more of an aptitude for than he initially expected.
“Perhaps that is the greatest strength of an assignment like this. You do not only develop new professional knowledge. You also discover what way of working suits you best.”
Passing on the baton
In June, Sofie, also a Venturn Young Professional, joined Nextlogic to prepare for the handover. The first weeks were fully focused on transferring knowledge. After that, she gradually took on more responsibilities independently.
“It is good fun to onboard someone and, at the same time, satisfying to know that the work did is being continued.”
For Robert, this is also where the most important result of the assignment lies. What started as an abstract need has grown into a fully established department with a clear role within Nextlogic. The work is now so firmly embedded that a new position has been created to continue building on it.
Robert also hopes that he has left behind some of his entrepreneurial energy. “The mindset of simply trying things sometimes, turning ideas into something concrete and not spending too long talking before taking action.”
Looking back and looking ahead
Looking back, Robert mainly takes with him the personal lessons, the great colleagues and a much better understanding of the maritime world. The assignment showed him that he is stronger in strategic and conceptual thinking than he expected. At the same time, he now has a better understanding of what gives him energy: environments where the pace is high and people need to move quickly.
Perhaps the biggest surprise lies in the way it all started. A spontaneous padel evening led Robert to Nextlogic. There, Robert was given the opportunity to build a completely new discipline while discovering more about his own strengths.
Sometimes, you do not need to know exactly where a conversation will lead.
Sometimes, you simply need to pick up a padel racket.
Developing within Venturn Young Professionals
Robert’s story shows how an assignment can grow into more than just a temporary role. Within the Venturn Young Professional programme, trainees work on challenging assignments across the maritime supply chain while following a two-year development programme focused on personal growth, leadership, and professional development.
Curious about what it is like to make an impact in the maritime sector as a Young Professional? Get in touch and discover what the VYP programme could mean for you.