Zeeland Refinery is proud to be one of ten business partners supporting the Junior Practice Program (JPP) — a pioneering collaboration between Scalda, a leading vocational school in the Netherlands, and regional industry leaders.
This initiative aims to bring students closer to the workplace from an earlier stage in their education, bridging the gap between theory and practice and addressing the growing labor shortage in technical professions.
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What is the Junior Practice Program?
The JPP is designed to give students hands-on experience within real working environments. It specifically targets:
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Second-year Maintenance students (Mechanical and Electrical & Instrumentation)
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First-year Process Technique students
at Scalda’s Terneuzen campus.
Every Thursday, participating students spend a full day at one of the partner companies — including Zeeland Refinery — where they work on assignments aligned with their coursework. These activities range from basic equipment identification and safety training to solving real operational problems, such as pump overhauls or instrumentation repairs.
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Before and After JPP: Curriculum Impact
Traditionally, Scalda students engaged in internships only in the later years of their studies. With the JPP now integrated from the first year onward, students experience a more continuous and meaningful connection with industry.
This early engagement:
- Improves technical understanding
- Builds motivation
- Reduces dropout rates
Industry Collaboration
The strength of the JPP lies in the partnership between education and industry. Zeeland Refinery works alongside other regional partners — including Cargill, Century Aluminum, Dow, Elopak, EPZ, ICL, Synthomer, Trinseo, and Yara — to make the program a success.
Together, partners have:
- Updated site safety policies
- Selected and trained mentors
- Organized site visits and onboarding events
- Co-developed assignments that reflect real workplace tasks