Born and raised in Zeeland, Michel de Pooter carries the sea in his heart. From a young age, his parents took him along on their sailing boat, instilling in him a deep-rooted love for the water and maritime life.

After completing his Maritime Officer training, Michel began his career as a 4th Officer with the cruise ships of Holland America Line. In the following years, he rose through the ranks to Staff Captain, gaining a wealth of experience in leadership and ship operations on board cruise vessels worldwide.

In 2025, Michel chose a new course: a shore-based position that allowed him to spend more time with his family while sharing his extensive hands-on knowledge with others. As Senior Maritime Instructor at DRTC, he delivers a variety of maritime training programs and is also regularly involved in the preparation and development of courses at the office.

Maarten Janse was born and raised in Zeeland and has a deep connection with the sea. After completing his Bachelor of Maritime Officer degree at the Maritime Institute De Ruyter (2002–2006), he began his career as a 4th officer on the cruise ships of Holland America Line. In the years that followed, he progressed to 1st officer and gained worldwide experience in ship navigation and maneuvering, delivering safety training to crew in various emergency roles, organizing emergency drills, and leading teams responsible for the maintenance of lifesaving appliances and fire detection, prevention, and firefighting systems.

In 2022, Maarten made the transition to a shore-based position, wishing to spend more time with his family while sharing his extensive hands-on experience with others. As a Senior Maritime Instructor at DRTC, he delivers training such as AFF, PST, PSCRB, FRB, ECDIS, GWO, and MCRM, as well as modules within ship management. His trainings are realistic, practice-oriented, and always linked to real-world situations. Maarten holds the certificate of competency as Master Mariner (all ships) and Firefighting Crew Member, and is a certified CAE MCRM instructor, making him a specialist in maritime incident response and teamwork.

Maarten has a strong passion for sharing knowledge. As a black belt holder in Kyokushin karate, he enthusiastically taught both youth and adults for many years. That same energy, dedication and attention to the participant characterize his approach in every training he delivers.

Born and raised in Brabant (very close to Efteling), Emile spent around 18 highly adventurous and educational years as part of the military system. Qualified to operate in extended various disciplines and shaped by the rigorous “green” Methodology, he developed a keen ability to respond inventively and ad hoc to incidents under Spartan conditions, a skillset still tested in practice somewhere on the globe today.

Since 2018, he has combined this discipline with SOLAS, STCW, and hands-on maritime expertise, delivered with a touch of humor, sharing his knowledge during training sessions under the motto: “Train as you fight.” He mainly works at the DRTC site in Flushing, on-site at companies, and on board vessels (an honorary privilege!), though he started out at the Groningen-site.

As a hobbyist in MARCOM, he contributes to DRTC’s consistently strong performance (≥90%) on CBR exam results.

Key traits: No-nonsense, energetic.

Jorian Schut was born and raised in Bergen op Zoom, where he grew up surrounded by water. Through sea scouts and sailing he discovered his passion for the sea and adventure. After completing his Maritime Officer studies at HZ University of Applied Sciences in Vlissingen (2016–2020), he started his seafaring career in early 2021 as an officer on heavy lift vessels. For four years he sailed worldwide and gained extensive experience with ice navigation in the Arctic region.

In early 2024, Jorian decided to pursue a shore-based career. Having previously attended his own safety courses at DRTC, he returned with great memories of that time – this time as an Maritime instructor. Since then, he has been delivering nearly the full range of STCW training, simulation training and GWO programs at DRTC. In addition, he is actively involved in the development of new courses, ensuring the training offer remains relevant and of high quality.

His training style is hands-on, approachable and always focused on learning together. Jorian values the stories and experiences of participants, creating an environment where everyone learns from one another. For him, safety courses should never feel like a mandatory exercise, but rather like a meaningful and enjoyable experience.

With certifications such as Firefighting Crew Member (and currently training for Firefighting Commander) and practical experience in challenging maritime environments, Jorian has built a solid foundation. Looking ahead, his ambition is to further expand his role by delivering more courses, developing new programs and taking on greater leadership responsibilities within the organization.

As a native of Limburg, he developed a passion for the sea at a young age, which led him to complete the MBO program Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch, All Ships at Scalda College in Vlissingen. After a short period at sea, working in various ranks and on different vessels, he chose a shore-based career in search of greater stability.

Following several shore-based positions, he joined De Ruyter Training & Consultancy in February 2025 as a Maritime Instructor for both STCW and GWO training. He finds great satisfaction in seeing participants successfully complete their training and highly values the camaraderie among his colleagues.

Wendy was born and raised in Tholen, a small town in the beautiful province of Zeeland, where she could always be found in and around the local waters. After completing her Maritime Officer training (1994–1998) at the Maritime Institute De Ruyter, she began her career with Wagenborg Shipping in Delfzijl. After several voyages as a maritime officer, she chose to focus on the deck officer side, advancing from third officer to first officer on various ships.

After meeting her future husband, Wendy decided to come ashore and joined Rijkswaterstaat, where she operated bridges and locks for 3.5 years. She was then given the opportunity to become a first aid instructor. After fifteen years working at two other companies, she found a new challenge at DRTC, where she can now combine her two passions: teaching and the water.

At DRTC, Wendy provides training in First Aid, Emergency Response (BHV), and Elementary First Aid (EFA) within Basic Safety. She also delivers part of the GWO courses and assists in other training programs, preparing to teach those independently in the future.

Outside of work, Wendy enjoys reading and practicing judo. She has earned her black belt in the sport and gladly shares her knowledge with others. With the same passion and enthusiasm, she hopes to inspire many participants in her role as an instructor.