Ever since he played his very first game of Super Mario 64, at the tender age of four, he was hooked. Pieter Bas remembers thinking then how cool it would be to some day work for Nintendo. The ambitious Tio University of Applied Sciences student made it happen and found himself a great internship in the marketing department of Nintendo Benelux. According to Pieter Bas, ‘This internship is really a dream come true. I can learn so much here!’
Originally from Japan, Nintendo was founded around 130 years ago and is now one of the most influential companies worldwide in the video game market. Pieter Bas is doing his internship in the marketing department of the Nintendo Benelux office in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.
Marketing, PR and brand management
‘I assist the brand and marketing staff with various assignments’, explains Pieter Bas. ‘In addition, I have a number of my own tasks and responsibilities. I work on managing the content of several of Nintendo’s social media pages, I assist the brand manager with digital communication for their target audience, I brainstorm with the team about PR, and I monitor where we can leverage social media and brand management opportunities.’
Many responsibilities
Pieter Bas says that he is really enjoying his internship. ‘I have a wide range of tasks and my duties are diverse. Because I had a proactive attitude right from the start, I was quickly given more responsibilities. I can learn so much here, and I have noticed that this makes me take the initiative more often. Because of Corona I only work one day a week in the office and four days a week from home. But I'm in daily contact with my internship supervisor and that works very well.’
Visiting a game trade show in Los Angeles
‘I have been a great Nintendo fan ever since I was a kid, so the fact that I am now able to work for this brand is very special’, explains Pieter Bas enthusiastically. ‘During my last internship, for Ubisoft in Australia, I was able to visit the E3 game industry trade event in Los Angeles. That’s where I met the managing director of Nintendo Benelux. It was incredibly amazing that he ended up offering me this internship. I'm still very grateful to him for this. It's really special to work for such a big international brand as Nintendo, and I’m very proud of that!’
Continuing studying at Tio University
Pieter Bas is enrolled in the bachelor programme Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship at Tio. Prior to this he completed the Tio vocational programme Commercial Business Management. ‘I really like the Commerce Economics and Entrepreneurship bachelor programme, and I also had a good experience continuing my study career within Tio. One of the most important reasons why I chose Tio is that it lets you fast-track your studies. You complete your vocational education in two years and your higher education in three years. I want to make the most of my time and start working on my career as quickly as possible. I also like the personal interaction with the lecturers; they have a lot of expertise and know how to teach the content well. I really love studying at Tio. I'm having a great time.’
Career in the game industry
Pieter Bas still has a way to go before his graduation, but he already knows what he wants to do afterwards. ‘My ambition is to build a career in the game industry. My ultimate dream is to transform my gaming passion into my profession. Work experience in this sector is very important, and thanks to Tio I have been able to gain knowledge and experience in four different internships, both at home and abroad,’ he adds in closing. ‘I'm sure that this will give me a huge competitive edge later!’