"Every day the same? That's not how I want to grow old."
Cor Haverkamp, a passionate colleague with a heart of gold. His boundless energy, passion for development, and warm personality make him an indispensable part of Summa. "I get my energy from improving people's chances in the job market and in our society."
After graduating from the Technical University of Applied Sciences (HTS), Cor immediately entered the business world. "During my work as a consultant and project manager, I discovered that training people was a truly enjoyable part of my job. So, I pursued a postgraduate program, where I trained as a trainer. Then, I changed course, quit my consulting job, and started working as a corporate trainer at a Regional Training Center (ROC). I collaborated with companies in various sectors to develop and implement excellent training programs. Afterward, I briefly worked in the business world, but I quickly missed the dynamism, the interaction with people, and the variety of education."
An unexpected opportunity
Cor made the switch to Summa. "I wanted to teach in my own field again, so I started the ICT program as a teacher and internship supervisor. I did that for seven years, until I made the switch last year and became an account manager at Taalkracht (part of Summa). Taalkracht is there for anyone who struggles with reading, writing, arithmetic, or digital skills, as well as for the growing group of knowledge workers and migrant workers in the Brainport region who want to learn Dutch.
Besides his work as an account manager, Cor also teaches one day a week. "I enjoy adult education so much that I now teach a group of adults every Wednesday. I enjoy keeping my knowledge up to date this way, and I find personal development very important anyway. I'm someone who craves dynamism and variety. Because I'm with the same people every day, doing the same lap around break—I don't want to grow old like that, haha!"
Personal motivation
Cor enjoys the target group he serves at Taalkracht. "We're there for vulnerable people, and I enjoy making a difference for them. It's bizarre that 2.5 million people aged 16 and older struggle with reading, writing, and/or arithmetic in the Netherlands. That's 18 percent, or about 1 in 6 people. It gives me great satisfaction to contribute to improving the chances of this target group in the job market and in society."