My name is Pieter Kuiper Vega, and I recently graduated from the Safety and Security Management Studies (SSMS) program at The Hague University of Applied Sciences.
What motivated you to enter the world of safety and security?
What motivated me to enter the field of safety and security was my interest in understanding social issues and how both global and local problems can be addressed to improve people’s lives. The SSMS degree appealed to me because it covers a wide range of fields, including public safety, international security, and industrial safety. This broad focus aligned with my interests and opened diverse career opportunities, giving me the flexibility to explore where I could contribute most meaningfully.
Where and when did you complete your internship? What was your focus?
I completed my internship in 2024–2025 at Instituto Socialab para América Latina y el Caribe (Socialab), an organisation based in Limón, Costa Rica, that focuses on education, innovation, and research on social and labour issues. I collaborated with the General Management department, supporting a consultancy project in partnership with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and several Germanretailers. The project, part of the “Towards Living Wages” initiative in Costa Rica’s banana sector, generated baseline research, training programs, and policy recommendations to improve wages and working conditions.
My responsibilities ranged from supporting research and data analysis to stakeholder coordination and reporting. I helped design survey instruments, supported the analysis of responses from banana workers, and prepared reports and presentations for GIZ and other stakeholders. This role highlighted the importance of rigorous research methodologies and the need to be sensitive to the context in which one is working.
What were some highlights of your internship?
The internship was transformative for my analytical and problem-solving skills. There were significant challenges in a context where labour rights are delicate and often contentious.Navigating these sensitivities required a careful balance of empathy and professionalism, enabling me to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, each with their own priorities and concerns.
The subjects I studied in my Safety and Security Management program, particularly Human Security and Industrial Safety, were directly relevant to this internship. I could see how essential it is to address the needs and rights of workers in the banana sector when working toward improved living and working conditions, while also considering the perspectives and challenges of the producers, and the relationship of all with local government and international organizations.
A key aspect of this experience was learning to approach data analysis with a critical mindset, ensuring that conclusions were not based on assumptions but rather on verifiable evidence. Furthermore, constructing well-supported arguments required the ability to link empirical findings to real-world implications. This meant not only presenting raw data but also translating it into coherent narratives that policymakers, clients, and other stakeholderscould easily interpret and act upon.
The internship also provided a platform for me to understand the broader socio-economic context that influences the banana industry in Costa Rica. I learned about the historical and cultural factors shaping labour relations and the importance of fair-trade practices. Engaging with community leaders and trade unions deepened my appreciation of grassroots efforts to improve conditions for banana workers.
Alongside my internship, I conducted fieldwork for my thesis in Costa Rica. My research, titled Beyond the Traditional Role: Trade Unions and Human Security in Costa Rica’s Banana Sector, examined how formal and informal union mechanisms impact workers’ Human Security. Using surveys with banana workers and interviews with union leaders, I examined how unions fill gaps left by weak labour law enforcement and limited state presence through initiatives such as health campaigns, legal assistance, and community-based education.
Where are you now and what are you doing next? How do the skills you developed during the internship and your studies contribute to what you do now/your future plans?
Currently, I am preparing to continue my career in safety and security, labour rights, and development cooperation. The skills I developed during my internship and studies are directly applicable to future roles in NGOs, international organisations, or consultancy work. In the long term, I want to keep contributing to initiatives that strengthen human security by addressing economic and social insecurities, empowering communities, and promoting dignity in contexts where vulnerabilities are often overlooked.
Looking back, the SSMS program and my internship at Socialab gave me more than technical skills; they gave me a framework to think critically about how safety and security are connected to broader issues of social justice and human security.