HZ empowers Sarlote to take over the world as an engineer

Do you know the phrase 'It's a man's world'? Sarlote, a Latvian Civil Engineeringstudent at HZ, has heard it a lot. As a girl playing basketball and again when she decided to become an engineer. And that's exactly why she’s going to let everyone know that there's no such thing as a man's world. With her study choice she wants to prove that men and women can tackle problems such as coastal safety and urban flooding. And what better place to do so than at HZ?! Located on an island in the south-west of The Netherlands, this University of Applied Sciences is literally at the center of water innovations. So there’s more than enough knowledge about rising sea levels and other water challenges.

Building something that lasts

The reason why Sarlote decided to study Civil Engineering is the ambition to build something that will last forever, or at least a very long time. In particular a building or construction that helps someone or something. Sarlote: "Making someone smile is the best and you can do that with Civil Engineering! You can help rebuild areas that have been destroyed by war, flooding or an earthquake. You can also help to make sure an area does not flood anymore so that people and animals can continue to live safely near rivers and seas."

A language without borders

Of course, there are also Civil Engineering studies in Latvia, the country Sarlote calls home. But the Netherlands, and specifically Zeeland, were at the top of her list during her search for a university of applied sciences. Sarlote: "Not only because the schools in the Netherlands are so highly regarded in Europe but also because Zeeland is THE place to become an expert in highway- and hydraulic engineering. Though that doesn't mean I will always stay here. Engineering is an international language. It is spoken in every country and is important everywhere. I can go wherever I want to go and work all around the world. And HZ actively contributes to that. We work with real clients a lot, and that gives me the confidence to really further discover various companies on different continents."

Never giving up

Some people get discouraged when someone says that they are not making the right choice. Or that women in engineering can never be as good as men in engineering. But Sarlote isn't scared. She gets extra motivated when someone says she can't do the things she wants to do. Sarlote: "I hope that more girls and women around the world follow their hearts like I am doing now at HZ. By doing what I want, studying Civil Engineering, I think I already show that it is possible. Work hard and believe in your goals, whoever you are or whatever you want to achieve.”