Choosing Tio means choosing growth. Tio helps you become the best version of yourself, with a focus on both your professional and personal development. Wilco van Brandenburg, lecturer and domain developer, explains how we achieve this. He teaches courses in communication skills, professional development, and personal leadership.
“Do you know how to sell a good idea? How to provide constructive feedback? Or how to deliver a persuasive pitch? It is so important to be able to communicate effectively”, says Wilco. “As I always say, you can be a good marketer or broker, but if your communication skills are not up to scratch, you will never be the best in your field."
Discovering talents
At Tio, great attention is paid to your professional and personal development. We mainly do so in practical scenarios so that you can get to grips with everything as best you can, Wilco explains. “For example, students work on a personal development plan. They do weekly assignments and get to know themselves better. They discover their talents, research their DiSC personality and behaviour style and formulate points for further development. They are personally supported by our study coaches in their development”.
Developing potential
In practice, this means that students work on communication skills such as presentation skills, conversation techniques, storytelling and intercultural communication. They also learn to deal with stress and delve into time and project management.
"During the numerous projects at Tio, students can apply everything directly and experience in practice how valuable these skills are," Wilco continues. "Both now and after their studies. I truly believe that Tio students, as a result, have a competitive advantage in the professional field."
Practical examples
Wilco has his own coaching and consulting firm and serves as the faction leader in the municipal council of Duiven. He can apply this experience effectively in the classroom, he says. “In my lessons, I use theories and examples from practice. For example, how do you deal with a director who wants an improvement process for his managers, knows exactly what needs to change, but has no idea about his own behaviour? Students really like examples like that. It makes it all very concrete for them”.
The switch to teaching
Wilco made the switch to teaching just a few years ago. He wanted to transfer his knowledge and expertise to others. “You can do that in teaching. Tio is known for its small-scale and personal education, and that was hugely appealing to me. I know all the students by name. The small groups allow plenty of room for interaction and in-depth lessons. It’s nice”.
Enthusiastic about Tio
“I am super enthusiastic about working at Tio. Teaching and contact with the students is a lot of fun and really energising. I am also very satisfied with Tio as an employer. I like the can-do mentality. The organisation is very entrepreneurial and solution-oriented. In the first Covid lockdown, for example, all the provisions to deliver lessons online were made within three days. I thought that was fantastic”.
“I also get a lot of freedom here and can combine teaching at Tio well with my other work. I couldn’t teach or coach exclusively for five days; I really need that variety”. And with a wink, “Yes, that might also say something about my personality”.