The difference is only in one letter, however the step and the advancement are enormous. Tycho went from an O to an A. He started with an mbo programme (vocational education), and currently attends the 1-year Master of Business Administration at Tio University of Applied Sciences. “The small classes at Tio enable more focus on teaching, thus saving a great deal of time. In mainstream education, this would have taken twice as long.”
Mbo Hotel Management in 2 years
Finding optimal subsequent education that matched his previous education was not an easy task for Tycho. After looking on the internet and attending an open day, he decided to enrol for Hotel Management at Tio, at the Amsterdam campus. “A major advantage was that I could immediately start at mbo level 4. In mainstream education, I would first have to do mbo level 3. The fast-track programme enabled me to complete my vocational programme in two years.”
Transforming a StayOkay hostel into a hotel
Tio is noted for its challenging, hands-on approach to education. The eyes of Tycho light up when he explains the Hotel and Event Week. With his fellow students, he had to transform a StayOkay hostel into a fully-functioning 4-star hotel. “I worked on the front office and was responsible for the arrangement of the rooms and more. Together with my fellow students, I arranged the sponsoring, furnished the restaurant, and composed the menu.”
Tio encourages students to continue their studies
The fast-track programme saves students time. “Tio provided me with a lot of incentive to climb higher up the studies ladder. It quickly became evident to me that I should enrol for the Hotel and Event Management bachelor programme. Just like mbo, I could save time. Because I was fast-tracked, I received a number of exemptions for certain courses. By once again studying at a fast pace, I completed the programme in three years.”
Internships at home and abroad
He is proud to talk about his international internship in Australia. Tycho secured an internship for his mbo as well as for his bachelor. “I lived in Sydney for six months and worked at an events agency. This company organises auctions for charities. In addition to learning English, I also learned to be independent. I went there all by myself, without knowing anybody there. I combined this fantastic work period with a wonderful tour of the country.”
The great ambience has a beneficial effect on teaching
The transition from mbo to bachelor occurred seamlessly, so I was enthusiastic to enrol for the Master of Business Administration. Another deciding factor for Tycho, was the optimal environment at the school. “More specifically, the great understanding between lecturers and students. This ambience motivated me to continue. The small classes enhance the teaching. I toyed with the idea of a gap year after my bachelor, but corona put paid to this idea. Moreover, Tio offers an MBA with a curriculum that appeals to me. It is a further expansion and elaboration of a number of subjects from my bachelor, but also includes new courses such as Strategic Management, Business Intelligence and International Entrepreneurship and Innovation.”
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