Sil’s final destination: flying around the world as a pilot
Sil has been fascinated by aviation since he was a child. That’s why he decided to do an internship at KLM as part of his Aviation studies. A place where, according to Sil, there is an incredible amount to learn. In six months, he hopes to start a second internship in another department. All with one goal in mind: making his biggest dream come true – flying around the world as a pilot.
His mother has been working as a KLM flight attendant for many years. Sil still remembers taking her to Schiphol with his father when he was a child. Sometimes, he was even allowed to take a look inside the crew centre. He found it fascinating even back then. “I find everything that happens in the air interesting,” says Sil. “I wanted to learn even more about aviation, which is why I decided to study Aviation. I chose to do my internship at KLM because I was curious to see how the organisation works.”
GDPR? Check!
Over the past few months, Sil has been working in the Cabin Crew Management (CCM) department, part of Inflight Services. “CCM manages around 9,500 cabin crew members,” Sil explains. “There are around fifty managers, most of whom are responsible for approximately 275 Cabin Attendants. These managers are their first point of contact. They keep track of information in an internal system, for example about promotions, absence or personal development. All of this has to comply with GDPR guidelines. I was asked how this process could be made more efficient. So I came up with the idea of developing an AI module. The idea is that managers enter information about cabin crew members into the module, and AI immediately turns it into a GDPR-compliant text.”
To develop the tool, Sil spoke to people from across the organisation. “For example, I spoke to colleagues from Legal, HR, the Privacy Office and managers from various teams.” Once the module was finished, Sil pitched it to several departments. “I’ve just been told that the tool is actually going to be implemented. That’s really exciting!”
A completely new field
Sil’s first reaction when he received the assignment? Laughing, he says: “I thought, ‘Well, this is going to be quite something.’ I had no experience with privacy legislation.” Fortunately, he received plenty of support from day one.
I have two internship supervisors, and they’re very helpful. I can ask them anything, and I’m allowed to join all kinds of meetings. It’s a very welcoming department in general. Everyone immediately wanted to have a chat and get to know me better. I could also always turn to colleagues whenever I needed an explanation. On Fridays, I always work at the crew centre. I really enjoy seeing the crew arrive and head off again.Sil
The world’s oldest airline
Sil is still happy every day that he chose to do his internship at KLM. “As the largest airline in the country, and the oldest airline in the world, KLM is a bit of a source of national pride. The company is also highly respected internationally. I really enjoy working here.”
What advice would he give students who are considering an internship at KLM? “You can learn so much here. The company is huge, so there’s always a department that suits you. On top of that, you build a great network during your internship, which can be really useful in the future. I’ve also noticed that once you work here, it’s quite easy to move between departments. Some people have been working at KLM for thirty years and are still learning new things.”
The heart of the operation
Sil would also like to explore much more of the organisation. That’s why he hopes to do a second internship next year. “Ideally, I’d like to gain experience in operations, something completely different from what I’m doing now. At the Operational Control Centre, for example. This is where flight plans are created and all of KLM’s active flights around the world are monitored. If there’s a delay or changing weather conditions, the OCC takes action. The department never stands still: operations continue 24/7.”
“I’d also be interested in the Ground Services department,” Sil continues. “They coordinate the entire turnaround of aircraft. When an aircraft arrives or departs, Ground Services makes sure a gate is assigned, the baggage is loaded and unloaded, and passengers can board.”
It’s this operational side that really appeals to Sil. “How does KLM make sure flights take off safely and on time? That’s something I’m curious about. I’d love to learn more about the planning and logistics behind it all.”
On the way to the cockpit
Once he has completed his potential second internship and finished his studies, Sil hopes to make it through the selection process for the KLM Flight Academy. Ultimately, he wants to pursue his biggest dream of all: becoming a pilot.
“Why do I want to become a pilot so badly? I’d love to learn more about the technical side of an aircraft. I’m also attracted to the great responsibility that comes with being a pilot. And, of course, the fact that you get to see so much of the world.”
