Doing more for students together

You understand the people around you, you can easily make friends and find work. She grants that to all foreign speakers who live in the Netherlands. It also makes sure that everyone who calls is happy and professional.

The best part of my job is helping people and speaking to them. Sometimes it's a bit of a puzzle when a student calls who doesn't speak Dutch or English well yet. TopTaal Karamjit was offered this job in the fall of 2017, immediately after completing his TopTaal vocational training for counter clerks. "I went to a municipal information evening and saw a flyer. I signed up right away," Karamjit says energetically, as if acting so quickly was the most normal thing in the world.

Internship

The vocational training that TopTaal in collaboration with the municipality Amsterdam The offer lasted ten weeks and consisted of taking classes and doing an internship. Karamjit experienced the training as quite intensive. 'We had a lot of homework. We also had very nice teachers. It wasn't difficult but it was busy, because in addition to the lessons we also had to do an internship.'

Karamjit completed the internship at TopTaal fulfilled. Her enthusiasm and customer friendliness were noticeable TopTaal on and two months after completing the training TopTaal offered her a job as a receptionist. TopTaal believes it's important that people are given a chance and therefore sets a good example by regularly hiring former students. "I got a call and was offered the job. I didn't even have to apply."

Ambition

Before Karamjit started vocational training, she already spoke reasonably good Dutch and occasionally gave computer lessons to both children and the elderly as a volunteer and freelancer. In India, where Karmajit comes from, she had both an MBO diploma in electrical engineering and IT, both in English. When she followed her husband to the Netherlands in 2003, she had her diploma in electrical engineering appreciated in the Netherlands. "But I had not worked in this profession in India, so my knowledge was out of date, so it was not possible to get a job there. I had already given computer lessons to children in India, so that is why I started focusing on that as a volunteer and as a freelancer. '

I find it special that TopTaal gives everyone the freedom to express their opinion so that together we can do more for students.

Karamjit now works two days a week as a desk employee and also works two days a week for the intake team. She would like to develop herself further, for example in the field of administration or ICT. 'I would like to do another course. The municipality Amsterdam offers such training. But because I already have a job, I don't qualify for it.' She had even offered to pay for the training herself. But that's not what the training is for.

'If you the taal You can speak, work, and meet new people. That's why I have Dutch friends, for example, through my son's school, but also through volunteering and working as a feelancer.' While Karamjit didn't know anyone here when she came to the Netherlands.
Karamjit is TopTaal grateful for the opportunity they gave her. During the last staff day, Karamjit's first, she participated fully. 'I think it's special that TopTaal gives everyone the freedom to express their opinion so that together we can do more for students.'