On 18th January, our much-anticipated annual Career Event took place! First and second-year students from all campuses gathered at Expo Houten to build their networks and lay the groundwork for successful futures. View the photos of the Career Event here.
"Today is all about networking," host and presenter Ewout Genemans informs us at the start of the day. "Networking is something you'll need throughout your life. What I want to impart, from personal experience, is not just to sell yourself but also to ask questions to learn and show interest in others."
Tio’s Career Event is an exclusive career fair designed specifically for our students. Here, they have the opportunity to network with companies and fellow students from the six campuses and gain inspiration from unique masterclasses. This year, an impressive 130 companies were present at the Career Event, all seeking the perfect Tio intern(s). Additionally, we welcomed renowned guest speakers this year: presenter Erik Wegewijs (Special Forces) and young entrepreneur Julia Veer (Clay And Glow), who, under Ewout's guidance, shared their knowledge and experiences and answered questions from the student audience.
Julia Veer
Julia Veer, only 25 years old, is founder and CEO of the successful and rapidly growing beauty and skincare brand, Clay And Glow. She shares how she and her partner started from their small student room. Through hard work, embracing mistakes and learning from them, and truly believing in their ideas, Clay And Glow has become what it is today. Her best tips?
- "Start before you're ready! In the beginning, I had no idea what I was doing, and I still deal with many challenges. If you wait until you're ready, you'll never start. So, I say: just do it! Try it, and along the way, you'll learn."
- "Surround yourself with ambitious and like-minded people. Especially when you're running your own business, it's really nice to have a group of people who support and motivate you when you're feeling down."
Erik Wegewijs
You probably know Erik Wegewijs from the Dutch TV show Special Forces VIPS, where he shares his experiences as an officer in the Dutch Marine Corps, traveling around the world. He also shares this experience with us. How did he get to where he is now, and what can Tio students learn from this?
- "Do today what you didn't dare to do yesterday!"
- "Find your passion. If something feels like the best place to be, then you're on the right track. You're in control of your life. Don't do what others think you should do, but what makes you happy: the world is at your feet!"
The sessions with Julia and Erik provided students with ample motivation to seek out the ideal internship and expand their networks. "The speakers were inspiring," said Isabelle, a Hotel and Event Management student. "I learned that you have to step out of your comfort zone to achieve your goals. You don't necessarily learn this at home, so it's good to hear."
The Perfect match
Companies from every imaginable industry are eager to meet our students.
- We're very enthusiastic
"We've had many Tio interns before, and we've also been here a few times," says the recruiter from financial detacher Staan. "We're very enthusiastic about it because we know: Tio students are not afraid of hard work, and they're fun and sociable. For us, the three months in the summer are actually great for interns because we need extra support during that period." Sometimes, a match comes from an unexpected angle, she explains: "At our company, you need to be good with people and willing to approach and follow up. That's why we, for example, hire a lot of students from hotel schools." - More interesting than expected
The students are open to all the opportunities they encounter. "The companies on the expo floor are more interesting than expected," says Timo, a Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship student, for example. "When you chat with them, you realise they all have a lot to offer." - The circle is complete
For some participants in the Career Event, the circle is complete. "I've walked around here myself!" laughs Rosa-Lynn from Make-A-Wish Netherlands. "I did an internship at Make-A-Wish from Tio, and now I'm back! Looking for interns for various departments. From organising events to marketing and social media."
We're curious to see how many students and companies have found their perfect match this year! Will we see you next year?