Tio student Sanne Boelsums was only sixteen when she enrolled in the Hotel and Event Management bachelor programme at Tio Amsterdam last year. She was even too young to find work in the catering industry. Now, after a year at Tio, she has acquired a wealth of experience, completed an internship on Aruba, and obtained her propedeuse.
During an information gathering, Tio’s booth caught Sanne’s eye. She attended a presentation, got even more interested, and decided to sign up for the open day. After visiting a Tio location for a day, she enrolled in the Hotel and Event Management programme. That was a conscious choice for her, because she had always wanted to work in the catering industry.
Adventures on Aruba
As soon as she was old enough, she got a job in a restaurant. For her first internship, last summer, she went to Aruba for three months. “That was a fantastic adventure,” Sanne says. “I did my internship at a catering company. I learned so much there: what goes on behind the scenes and all the ins and outs of arranging the catering for an event.” She also learned a lot outside work: “I learned a lot about myself. Being independent, growing up,” she laughs.
Comprehensive programme
Sanne mainly chose the Hotel and Event Management bachelor programme because of her interest in the hotel industry. “Now that I am actually taking the courses, however, I am becoming more and more interested in the event side of things. This is a comprehensive programme that offers you many options.” One thing Sanne knows for certain is that she wants to open her own restaurant one day. That is another reason why she opted for Tio: “At Tio, the first year is mostly practically oriented. You learn how to welcome guests, for example. You can then put that knowledge into practice during your internship. That combination helps you develop your knowledge and skills quickly.”
Furthermore, Sanne believes that studying at Tio creates certain expectations for companies: “As a Tio student, you have to study hard and make sure you can apply the things you learn in practice. Many companies assume that Tio students are good students, so you have to live up to their expectations in practice. However, if you chose this study and you like what you do, it will not matter that you have to work hard.”
Youngest of the class
As a sixteen-year-old, Sanne’s classmates during her first year were all between eighteen and twenty-one. That is fine by her, though: “I have always been the youngest, so I am used to it. All my fellow students were very nice and helpful, even though everyone is always surprised to find out how young I am.”
Follow Sanne on LinkedIn.