Crossing continents for self-development

South-African Debbie travels back and forth to the Netherlands for our 9-month Qualified Compliance Officer training

Debbie Simpson – de Bruijn, a South-African compliance professional working in AML and CFT, travels to our office in the Netherlands for our Qualified Compliance Officer training. “It’s absolutely worth the time and money. You can’t put a price on self-development,” she says.

 

 

You may wonder what brings a South-African to the Netherlands for a compliance training, and indeed – there’s more to the story than simply an interest in EU regulations. Debbie is married to Hans, who is Dutch. “As compliance has become more important in my career, I’ve been looking at career opportunities in the Netherlands. But first I need to learn more about how compliance is organised in the EU – its regulations, licensing requirements, and so on,” says Debbie.

The right place

After doing my research, I came across the Ministry of Compliance. I got in touch with Wendy, and after having a look at the course content, I enrolled.”
Of all trainings, “The Ministry of Compliance training was the best fit for me in terms of the learning environment and approach,” Debbie explains. “Other trainings are a lot more academic. At the Ministry, there’s a more familial way of learning. It’s not just somebody standing in front of the classroom, giving you information and best of luck with it. You get a mentor, trainers that are with you all the way. Another advantage is that I can take the course in English, while also having a chance to improve my Dutch when speaking to my fellow students or the trainer.”

At the Ministry, there’s a more familial way of learning.

In October, she boarded a plane in Capetown and flew 11.5 hours to Amsterdam for the first training day. “I was a little bit overwhelmed, because I didn’t know what to expect. But when I left on day one, I thought: this is the right place for me to be.”
In South-Africa, Debbie focuses on regional AML and CFT. “I’m excited to learn about EU regulations and to broaden my horizon when it comes to compliance,” she says. “I’m looking forward to everything that’s still to come, because it will all be new and fresh to me, and it’s going to be valuable learning.”

Soft skills

Debbie values the unique approach compared to other courses she has done. She likes the personalized experience offered by small classes and the focus on mentoring alongside academic learning. “There are 7 students in my class, which means trainers have time for one-on-ones when needed. I can reach out to one of the trainers with a question at any point, and quickly get a reply. My mentor is also very enthusiastic to meet and talk about things. A lot of the courses that I’ve done in the past don’t do that – the groups are too big, or the trainers don’t make the time to support you or go deeper into a topic,” says Debbie. “Furthermore, the assignments we make are focused on our own work environment. This makes the assignments very practical and therefore, enjoyable”

Another major difference she noticed is the focus on personal development. “At first, I wasn’t sure how valuable the soft skills training would be. But after only one hour of coaching, I was convinced of its importance,” says Debbie. “After my first coaching session, I was aware that maybe I am a bit too assertive when I deliver my message. By incorporating the tips and tools from the soft skills training, I can get a better result from communicating with the stakeholders. I think it’s really important that this is part of the course.” According to Debbie, you can’t really put a price on self-development and education. “Some people my age may feel they are too old to learn something new, but I wholeheartedly disagree. You’re never too old to learn anything.”

You’re never too old to learn anything.

Worth the trouble

Debbie travels 10,000 kilometres and 11.5 hours from Cape Town to Amsterdam for the training days.It’s a significant investment, both in terms of time and money. So why does she do it? “Simple: the type of training I need is EU-specific. There isn’t a facility in South Africa where I can do that. And for me, it’s absolutely worth it. The course has been great, and I love coming to the Netherlands – it has a very special place in my heart. It’s like my second home.”

The course has been great, and I love coming to the Netherlands – it has a very special place in my heart

Debbie and her husband are thinking about moving to the Netherlands one day. “Having the qualification is the first step in the process, but I’m already thinking ahead. On our next class day, I have a coffee date planned with someone from ProjectiveGroup. We’re having an informal chat about pursuing a career in the Netherlands and which opportunities there could potentially be. But even if nothing comes out of it, I’ve already grown my network so vastly through this training programme, that I’m sure something will come my way. I’m in no hurry,” she says.

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