Meet Anne van Delft

Who are the people behind PAOTM? We are glad to introduce our program managers. They search for knowledge needs in the market, create courses based on those needs and work closely with experts from education, research and industry to make this happen. Also, they collaborate with teachers and help participants with specific knowledge questions or a need for study advice. Anne van Delft, director and program manager hydraulic engineering, tells you more about her role, what motivates her and how she can help you.

Anne is a mechanical engineer and studied at the University of Twente in Enschede. She spent years working in industry, mainly in the energy sector, before working for more than a decade at two universities of applied sciences. In 2020, she started at PAOTM. "For me, this is an ideal combination: teaching, hands-on experience and returning it to engineering.”

Two roles that reinforce each other
As director, Anne leads the PAOTM team and is responsible for strategy and finance. Alongside this role, she spends part of her time as a program manager. Her current field, hydraulic engineering, strongly appeals to her: "The Netherlands is a world leader in this field. You discover the challenges and how the most impressive projects come together." In the past years, she worked on nearly each of PAOTM's disciplines. "That has been incredibly useful", she says. "You know what is happening in all fields and you can connect the dots. That is how you also build a strong network to draw on.”

Knowledge needs as the starting point
What it all comes down to for Anne is sharing knowledge. PAOTM brings knowledge needs and course offer together and spreads experience as widely as possible. Younger engineers can learn a lot from senior professionals. "A single course often brings together people from government, contractors and engineering firms, with instructors from just as many different fields. That knowledge exchange moves the whole sector forward.”

Courses start with demand from the market, something the PAOTM program managers actively seek out in conversations with department managers and companies. "We regularly ask: what do you need? If there is no course about the needed topic yet, we develop one with teachers and course leaders from our network." The fact that we are not working for a profit - PAOTM is a nonprofit foundation - also strengthens that drive. "On top of their often busy jobs, teachers make time to share their knowledge because they feel this is important and enjoyable. That is what makes PAOTM such a committed organization.”

Increasingly, new knowledge is not only about technical depth but also about collaboration across disciplines. A good example of a new course that handles this theme is currently in development at the request of a group of contractors: Structural Design for Geotechnical Engineers (Constructief ontwerpen voor geotechnici). “Geotechnical engineers and structural engineers often have to work together. This course gives them more insight into each other's field, so that collaboration runs more smoothly.”

The value of learning outside your own company
Just like multidisciplinary knowledge, the manner in which you learn also has value. Why choose an external course rather than relying on internal knowledge? For Anne, the answer is clear. "A course doesn't just convey theory; it shows the stories behind projects. What went well, what went wrong? You will not find that written down anywhere, not even online. Those truly are the valuable lessons.”

The greatest added value, she says, lies in the people around you. Because participants come from different organizations, they learn a great deal from one another. "You gain insights from people who have gained experience at other companies and you build a network of peers you can reach out to again later." And it is not only the participants who learn, so do the teachers: "Sometimes you get really sharp questions that make you rethink things: is there perhaps another solution? That way you grow wiser together.”

That exchange - different organizations together in a small group, with experts at the front of the classroom - is exactly what sets PAOTM apart. Combined with the breadth of eleven disciplines and a multidisciplinary approach, tailored in-company programs and top teachers from academia and practice, is what makes the courses unique.

Personal motivation
Ask Anne what motivates her day to day, and she comes back to the role of engineering in the Netherlands. "Engineering plays a part in so many developments. It is wonderful that we can make a difference by bringing demand and course offer together." What keeps the work alive for her is the people: course leaders who are experts in their field, speak about it with real pride and stay connected with us year after year. "That they make time to share their knowledge alongside busy careers, and that it is appreciated by participants who are glad to come back, that's a wonderful thing to see.”

Out on the water after hours
Fittingly, Anne finds her relaxation outside of work on the water too. She just finished a rowing course, enjoys swimming and sailing and recently discovered the Binnenmaas lake near her home. "Almost seven kilometers long, with swans and nature: a gorgeous place to row." From hydraulic engineering to her free time, the theme stays the same.

Do you have a question about hydraulic engineering, a specific knowledge need or are you curious about the options for an in-company course? Anne and her fellow program managers are glad to help. Feel free to get in touch at +31 15 278 46 18 or email info@paotm.nl