21-year-old Sebastian Kamper Jacobsen has the largest infrastructure project in Danish history lying in his backyard, and he is happy about that.
Found himself at the job center
When Sebastian, who lives in the small town of Errindlev in South Lolland, graduated in the summer of 2020, he had no idea what he was going to be. And after a couple of years, he found himself sitting at Lolland Municipality’s job centre.
– I came to the Jobcentre, and then it was just meant that I should go out and try different types of internships. But then I came across the education for “technical designer”, says Sebastian, who started at Roskilde Tekniske Skole already a month later.
Just like Lego
The problem with the education, however, was that the school is located in Roskilde. And Sebastian is very happy to live in Errindlev … so happy that he doesn’t want to leave the local area.
– I would rather not leave Lolland. I’m safe down here. I know many of my mates were in a hurry to get away when they graduated. But I don’t feel that way at all, says Sebastian.
Can cycle to work
It turned out, however, that the training as a technical designer gave the opportunity to gain practical experience just five kilometres away from the childhood home. Sebastian got an apprenticeship with Fehmarn Link Contractors (FLC) on Northern Europe’s biggest construction project – the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel, and now he can take the bike to work.
– I thought “That’s too big for me. I can’t be allowed to do that at all”. But when the Jobcentre pointed to Fehmarn as an opportunity for an apprenticeship, I also started thinking: “Hey, that could actually be pretty cool”, says Sebastian, who has now worked in FLC’s office for six months.
Fun to draw something that works
Here he draws, among other things, iron girders in cement blocks for the element factory’s foundation, supply lines in ditches, boom installations for the safety check and road guidance in hilly terrain. And just outside the window, projects are popping up, which have elements drawn by Sebastian inside the office.
– It’s fun to sit and draw something that you can then go out and see in action afterwards, says the young apprentice.
– I’ve always liked building with Lego and it’s kind of like that… just on the computer.
Hoping for a Fehmarn job
And when Sebastian does not want to come to the world, the world has come to him. In the office, he works with many different nationalities and professional groups. His officemate and teacher is the Spanish engineer Veronica.
– Veronica has more than 20 years of experience. We speak English together. Sometimes it can be a bit confusing. But she is good at explaining it and learning from it. So I actually think I have become much better at English, says Sebastian.
No further away than Nykøbing
The young man from Lolland will graduate as a technical designer within construction in 2025. He hopes that there will also be local job opportunities in the future so that he can stay on his beloved island of birth.
– I would like to have a job here on the project when I finish. But otherwise, I am willing to say that Nykøbing is an option. I don’t want to go any further.
