Evi Claes (Arcadis Belgium) joined the first edition of Global Shapers in 2012. This year she joined the organizing team to support during the face-to-face meeting. In this blog she reaches out to this year’s generation and shares some reflections on participating in Global Shapers.
Hi everybody!
I hope you are as excited as I am for upcoming week! As a part of the organizing team we will be setting the stage on Thursday to make sure every detail is perfect at your arrival!
My role now in the program is quite different then it was during my participation in 2012! Since 2012 was the very first edition of Global Shapers, there was nobody to tell me what it was like to participate. Promotion was done well by Sylke and Chantal, because a lot of young Arcadis-members were inspired to send in their applications.
The program itself was rather a mystery. I was one of the 6 Belgian participants that time, and was very surprised with my selection. As HR assistant back then, I thought selection of participants was focused on project engineers, and that the program would be rather technical than development focused. During the virtual phase, I was very happy to be able to deliver input as well, and I learned to work together virtually with all ups and downs a virtual team can have! I’m sure you all experienced difficulties, but are proud to say that you overcame them!
The Face-2-Face meeting was an exceptional experience for me. A like-minded group of 100 different shapers, a good virtual preparation and an infallible and strong program, led us to an amazing result in only 4 days. Every single participant gave their best, and that’s what makes it a unique program that perfectly fits our international statement: Being the best!
We entered the program as individual participants, and came out as one big international team, with a network all over the globe that helps us to get to the right contact within moments, instead of searching whole days to find the one Arcadian you need.
Global Shapers gave me, and I’m very sure it will give you too, insight in our company’s structure, processes and other ways of working! It will help you to reach a higher level of working.
I hope to give you all a warm welcome in Ede on Friday or Saturday and wish you all a nice and safe trip to the Netherlands!
See you soon!
PS: Did you now the organizing team is a big fan of music? I’m sure you’re going to feel and remember the ‘energetic vibes’ during and many years after the program!
Evi Claes – Arcadis Belgium
