When he was only just seventeen, Thijs started the level-four vocational Hotel Management education. A year later, he moved on to the higher education Hotel and Event Management bachelor and he is now working on his master’s, a triple awarded degree, from the renowned Hotel and Tourism Management Institute (HTMi) in Switzerland. Alumnus Thijs Glaap has not lost his ambition!
Completing a vocational and higher education in just three years
Thijs finished his Hotel and Event Management bachelor at Tio Eindhoven last year. His career at Tio was brief. At the age of seventeen, he enrolled in the level-four vocational Hotel Management fast-track programme. He chose Tio because of its small classes and because he would be able to acquire his level-four vocational education diploma in just one year. He pulled that off and then moved on to the second year of the Hotel and Event Management bachelor. After two more years, he graduated once again at the age of twenty. He was not done studying, though!
Master’s programme in Switzerland
The ambitious Thijs now started a master’s programme at the Hotel and Tourism Management Institute (HTMi) in Sörenberg, Switzerland. This is a small-scale hotel school and university. He did not choose just any master, but went straight for a triple awarded degree: an MBA hospitality & tourism, a postgraduate certificate in hospitality management and finally his MSc. He hopes to graduate for the third time within a year.
Tough programme
Between January and June, he took eight courses in tourism, finance, HR and management. That meant long days and nights of studying. It was a very tough programme, but he pulled it off in the end.
First-class honours
Thijs: “I sometimes asked myself what I was doing. Everything went well, though. I am the youngest student in my group, but I ranked as one of the best. I received an award for ‘best behaviour’ and achieved the distinction level, which is comparable to first-class honours. HTMi pays close attention to details and also awards points for e.g. taking proper care of your uniform and polishing your shoes.”
Multiple job offers
“I am also an ambassador of the HTMi,” Thijs says. “As an excellent student, I get to go on trips. For example, I attended Tio’s Career Event to talk about our institute. As a reward for my high grades, I got to go on a career trip to Kuala Lumpur last summer. I visited a lot of hotels and chains and already received several job offers.”
Thesis
Thijs does not want to reveal to much about his final thesis project, other than the fact that it is about the Nijmeegse Vierdaagse. He expects to earn his master’s degree in February. What then? “I would like to start my own business one day. Until then, I am going to keep enjoying the wonderful environment here in the Swiss Alps while I can.”
Follow Thijs on LinkedIn.