About our social enterprise

It’s not just a title or business category; being a social enterprise means changing the world and people for the better. We are dedicated to being an inspirational source of impact for companies that offer traineeships. Bringing businesses and people together, and creating opportunities to learn, improve, and evolve for both economic and social value.

Best Traineeship was originally conceptualized in 2006 by Ilse de Heer. The idea of assessing and awarding traineeships was used as part of the national career fair. Its success led Ilse to make the concept into an independent company in 2012 alongside the research centre, Become a Trainee. Together they carefully developed today’s acclaimed accreditation mechanism for graduate programs.

Running Best Traineeship as a social enterprise is our heartfelt commitment and responsibility to make an impact and continue Ilse’s legacy and founding vision. Pioneering the way for brighter, bigger futures for young professionals.

Our combined backgrounds in adult education, learning and development allow us to run Best Traineeship as a real project of passion, we invest our expertise and time into the development of traineeship program standards and the quality outcomes.

Our Vision

To drive traineeship excellence to build brighter futures.

Our Mission

To inspire organizations and individuals to grow and blossom by benchmarking of influential and impactful traineeships.

THE FUTURE

We want to help organizations recognize and harness unique talents, and encourage young professionals to not only grow, but to thrive.

We watch in awe as our annual Best Traineeship competition, and yearly benchmark report continues to captivate organizations across such diverse sectors, looking to compete for the coveted title of best practice and grasp the opportunity to learn more about the performance of their programs.

Our Expert Jury

Our panel of experts play a vital role in the annual Best Traineeship competition, during the second and third rounds of the competition where organizations will face the jury for an interview and elevator pitch.

 

Clarine Deijnen

Co-Owner & Director

Clarine is a passionate and driven independent Learning and Development consultant with a background in Biomedical Sciences. Clarine specializes in learning management systems, training efficiency, and developmental adult education. Clarine focuses on what motivates, stimulates and challenges individuals to develop professionally, we enjoy her motto in life: “You are never too old to learn, so be curious!”

 

Kieran Canisius

Co-Owner & Member of the Jury

Kieran is a successful, serial entrepreneur with an extensive background in business development, operations, and training development for the pharmaceutical industry. Energetic and determined, Kieran’s career continues to connect closely with education and growth. From developing gold-standard Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) accredited traineeships to her managing director status of Seuss Consulting (www.seuss.plus), a life sciences growth consulting company, Kieran is always at the forefront of continuous learning and development.

 

Tom Vuorinen

Member of the Jury

Specializing in organizational development, Tom focuses on shaping future traineeships. His expertise in executive leadership aligns seamlessly with the dynamics of traineeships, emphasizing the importance of connecting people and building authentic personal brands for visibility. His substantial experience in a corporate environment at Capgemini and now an entrepreneur provides extensive understanding of the environment in which the Trainees and Traineeship should excel. As a sociologist and facilitator with over two decades of experience, Tom excels in designing and implementing large group interventions, valuing collaborative models that intertwine human behavior transformation with content change.

Rani Zuijdervliet

Member of the Jury

Rani Zuijdervliet, a psychologist and seasoned practitioner in vitality and performance, shares her journey seeking personal and professional balance. Over almost two decades, she’s evolved as a coach and trainer, now striving to guide others in becoming their best selves. Rani emphasizes authentic growth, rejecting the notion of becoming a different person. Her coaching principles include result-oriented focus, honest analysis, injecting fun into learning, a no-nonsense approach, and a passion for genuine connections. Rani’s commitment lies in helping individuals build a foundation for long-term inspiration, effortless flow, and, ultimately, being their best version.