Ellen van der Spoel

Opportunities abound 

"One of the best things about my job is the enormous variety. Because anyone who thinks that tourism students only do internships at tourism companies is wrong! As long as an internship is tangential to activities you encounter in tourism, it can already be perfectly suitable. This means that in my work, I also have to deal with many different companies. And because every student is different and has different qualities, the guidance I provide is also always different."

From education to checking CVs  

"Tourism Management comes in two variants. In the associate degree, you do a 5-month internship in the second year. In the Bachelor's degree, you do a 7-month internship in the fourth year. Prior to the internship periods, I educate the students, telling them what is possible and what is expected of them. Many students are surprised when they hear about all the places they can end up in! In the run-up to the internships, for example, I help students assess their plans and check their motivation letters and CVs. Sometimes students also come to me with a great internship, in which case I check whether everything meets our requirements. In the end, I always look for the perfect match between student and internship company."

Worldwide 

"As it may be appropriate for a tourism education, we have internship opportunities all over the world. But that doesn't mean everyone goes on internships far away! The great thing is that we now have such a good network that something can always be found. For example, for students who are still a bit nervous about going abroad, it helps enormously that they come into contact with a former NHL Stenden student. Hearing first-hand what an internship abroad is like often gives a lot of confidence. But there are also plenty of students who stay in the Netherlands, mind you! And if that's what suits you, then that's absolutely perfect."

Regenerative tourism  

"During their internships, students are often involved in things like marketing and social media for a company or destination. And of course with sustainability, in whatever field. Devising and implementing trips is also common. Within the programme, and therefore also during internships, we try to be involved in regenerative tourism. That means thinking about how you also give something back, for example to local people, animals or to nature. So our students also have an important role in making tourism more future-proof, which in turn gives me great satisfaction as a work field coordinator."

Do you also fancy a versatile degree programme? Then choose Tourism Management!