Learning the profession is best in practice. And so a small NATO summit will be held in Assen today and tomorrow. Organized by three schools to give students from different courses an experience.
Buses with students from the Security course at the Drenthe College drove back and forth between the Thorbecke Academy in the center of Assen to the provincial government office, about a kilometer away. In the provincial government, a debate is held about Ukraine. Delegations from fifteen countries are re -enacted by students from the University of Groningen and the Thorbecke Academy. To the security students task to bring them safely to the provincial government.
“I am now in the running formation,” says student Thomas Noord. He explains what his job is this morning. “And then I have to stand in front of it so that nobody can get to the VIPs.” In recent months, he and his fellow students have made a safety plan and practiced with personal security. Because once inside they stay close to the delegation members.
“If a NATO summit is organized in your country, it is of course the ideal event to imitate,” says team leader Vera van der Zee of the Thorbecke Academy. “It is special for MBO, HBO and university students to run such a top together. Everyone knows that you play something in the classroom, but that is always with your own class. All those different students get to know each other and see what they do. They see each other which different questions and challenges you are dealing with.”
After an hour and a half and several rides back and forth, all delegation members are safe at the provincial government. But there is little time for a break for the students. They must keep the location safe for the rest of the day, and they also do the personal security of the delegation members. What they do not yet know is that they will still be confronted with an incident at the end of the afternoon. “A delegation member is in danger and it must be brought to a safe place. Both the students of security and the students who play the delegation members do not yet know this. So that will be just as exciting,” says Van der Zee.