'It's great that there are now also vocational students here'

Some 2500 business students from Fontys and Summa attended the annual Career Event on Wednesday. They met regional companies and organizations eager for new talent. For the first time, vocational students also participated. And it was a success. "Why only now?"

It's pleasantly busy at the Indoor Sports Centre in Eindhoven. More than two hundred organizations are presenting themselves among the stands, ranging from healthcare to technology and from logistics to retail and government. They're luring students with goodie bags, candy, and gadgets. One of them is Bechtle, an international IT services provider with seven hundred employees in the Netherlands alone. "We don't have any IT students here, but we're also looking for talented business and commercial talent," says Andras Sinkiewitz of the company. "An affinity for IT is important, but every student uses a smartphone and laptop, so that's a good thing."

He's happy to be meeting vocational students today. "They're often a bit younger than the university of applied sciences students and sometimes a bit shy, but we're breaking the ice. We really need everyone." Recruiter Lisa van de Laar of the Municipality of Eindhoven agrees. Along with interns Celia and Britney, she tells the students about working for the municipality. "Who better to convince students to choose us than the students themselves?" Lisa laughs. The approach is working: the stand is packed. "We have plenty of opportunities for both vocational and university students," says Lisa. "We always have five or six students interning in our HR department alone."

Adam hasn't been to the municipality's booth yet. The student account manager At Summa, he hopes to find a graduation internship today. "There are a lot of organizations here, so there's a lot to discover," he says. "It's great that some big names are there. I'm curious, so I'll go take a quick look around." Nina, a final-year marketing & communications student at Summa, is also looking around. "I've already arranged my graduation internship, but I don't know what I want to do afterward. I'm interested in social media. There are companies active in that area today, so I'll definitely check them out. But I might continue studying at a university of applied sciences first."

She can gain more information about this at the joint stand of Fontys and Summa. Why continue studying?, the banner reads in bold. Sabine Snippen of Fontys: "Perhaps you want to specialize, try something new, or enjoy student life a little longer. An Associate's degree is a great option. It's a two-year, practice-oriented program that falls between MBO-4 and HBO-level. You can, of course, also choose a four-year HBO program." Summa and Fontys are investigating whether students can receive exemptions if they continue in the same field. "Together, we'll make the transition as smooth as possible."