Rutger was still in high school when he decided that he wanted an international business career. Now his dream is nearly a reality. He snagged his first job offer for a career abroad before he had even graduated.
Personal education
First Rutger completed his pre-university education. His decision to do a Bachelor programme at a university of applied sciences was very deliberate. “The teaching style at a large university didn’t suit me. Then I heard about this more personal option at Tio, with small classes and international prospects. It really appealed to me. I immediately got a good feeling about Tio at the open day.”
Practical experience at home and abroad
Rutger quickly knew that he had made the right choice. “I got the opportunity to build plenty of practical experience right away. I did an internship at a 5-star hotel in Malta and a 5-star resort in Curaçao. I then worked as treasurer on the national board of the student association Cognatio. I also learned a lot from the study projects. All this practical experience has really expanded my CV.”
A versatile programme
The business programme at Tio provides a good foundation in business and economics with a particular focus on finance and e-commerce. “International Business Management gives you a broad education and the foundation in business and economics serves you well in many different sectors,” Rutger explains. “I personally find the hospitality world extremely interesting and my background in business is a good match for it. This became clear to me during my internships. Thanks to this business programme I am widely employable and that's pretty great. At Tio you are well prepared for a career at home and abroad."
Straight on to a Master’s
Rutger decided to continue studying after his bachelor in Business. He wanted to develop his knowledge of business processes further. “I compared various different Master’s, but the Master of Business Administration at Tio was the ultimate one for me. The MBA programme really appealed to me, and the teaching style really suits me.”
Identifying and implementing business processes
Rutger is now half-way through the Master’s and continues to be happy with his choice. “I absolutely love it, it’s all so interesting. You learn how to make business processes as effective and efficient as possible. And you get an even better opportunity to develop a sort of bird’s-eye view, you learn how to keep an overview of all processes within a company and how to make strategic decisions.”
Ready for the working world at home and abroad
Rutger now knows what he wants. He has his sights set on managing a 4- or 5-star international luxury hotel. “I’ve learned so much over the past few years at Tio. Now I have the knowledge, experience, and skills to be a good manager. At Tio I learned how to present myself on the national and international job market. I got an open job offer from the 5-star resort in Curaçao where I did my internship. But maybe I will go for a hotel in the Netherlands instead. Who knows, I’m keeping my options open!”