What is on the programme?
Haksel: ‘To promote the event, we are starting next Wednesday and Thursday with a kick‑off event at the O&O Square, complete with a spectacular attraction. A week later, Ewout Genemans will give the lunch lecture. On 18 and 19 February, the Career Fair will take place at De Grolsch Veste, followed by the workshop weeks and the Company Experience Weeks. During those weeks, students take part in smaller‑scale activities with companies, such as a dinner or a padel clinic.’
Sanders: ‘So, the tried‑and‑tested Business Days recipe, and for good reason. It has worked for years.’
A deviation from that familiar recipe: Shell is missing from the list of participating companies, even though they have been a regular guest for years. Why is that?
Haksel: ‘First of all, we do not decide where students should or should not work. The choice is entirely up to them. We are only here to facilitate the connection between students and potential employers. It also had nothing to do with last year’s blockade of the career fair entrance. We simply did not reach a deal with Shell this year.’
Where did you, as the current board, try to place emphasis?
Sanders: ‘Not so much on new components, but on optimising the programme behind the scenes. For example, we focused more on a negotiation workshop because we know there is demand among students. How do you get the most out of a contract negotiation? That is certainly a challenge for starters entering the job market.’
Can you already say something about student interest and needs?
Sanders: ‘Registrations opened a week and a half ago, and we have already seen the more enthusiastic students sign up. We expect most registrations during the kick‑off event next week. That has been the case in previous years.’
Haksel: ‘In terms of offerings, it is not just technical companies or only opportunities for students who are close to graduating. We have a broad range of companies and activities suitable for various study phases. For master’s students and third‑year bachelor students, there are many traineeships and graduation assignments available. For first‑ and second‑year students, there is also a part‑time job market and a workshop programme tailored to their stage of study. That worked very well last year.’
This week, the news came out that Create Tomorrow – which was planned as part of the Business Days – will not go ahead. How do you reflect on that decision?
Sanders: ‘It is incredibly unfortunate, but we cannot say more than what we already shared in the statement.’
Television presenter Ewout Genemans will give this edition’s lunch lecture. Why him?
Sanders: ‘His name quickly rose to the top of our list, because we are secretly a bit of a fan. When choosing a speaker, you always consider whether their story will be interesting for students. That will certainly be the case on 11 February. He will talk about performing under pressure and his experiences with that in various programmes. It will cover perseverance, dealing with setbacks and keeping perspective. It will definitely be interesting.’
The event runs until the end of March. When will this edition be a success for you?
Haksel: ‘When we have helped as many students as possible with making choices about their future and their career opportunities. That is what it is all about in the end.’
