Last month, Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) organised an insightful Alumni Panel in collaboration with study association ACE. It was an honour to welcome four ESHCC alumni back on campus, who shared their career journey, insights, and advice on working in the government sector with current students. We would like to express our gratitude to Anne Ruth Schalk, Marike Abrahamse, Floortje Passchier and Jens Rokx for their invaluable contributions. Their stories and insights provided valuable perspectives about the government administration field.
Anne Ruth is Content Specialist at Netherlands Enterprise Agency. She graduated in 2019 from the Master Arts, Culture & Society, after which she worked in the cultural sector for a while. In 2021 she switched to the government sector, a step she never regrets. Anne Ruth: “I did not plan a career in government, but it fits very well with my broad interests. I also really like contributing to societal issues”. What skill Anne Ruth has learned in the ACS master programme that has proven to be the most valuable in her career at the government? “The ability to see everything from a broader perspective”.
Marike studied International Bachelor Communication and Media, where she developed an interest in international politics and conflict. She was not only an active member of the Erasmus Debating Society, but also secured an internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in bachelor year 2, where politics and communication came together in diplomacy. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs thus became an increasingly logical choice to work for, because that's where you can really help find solutions”, explains Marike. She now works as Coordinator MATRA-fund at the Ministry where she’s involved in building democracy and rule of law in Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. When asked about the biggest challenge in the transition from an academic study programme in communication to working in a political-administrative environment she responded: “I found the bureaucracy of the ministry quite difficult at first, as it was all too slow for me. In the media and communication sector, you are more used to reacting quickly, otherwise you might miss an opportunity. Luckily, now I know how all the rules work and therefore how to act quickly – as was necessary with the evacuation of Kabul or the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
Floortje finished her master’s degree in Media & Journalism in 2023. She is pursuing the traineeship ‘Starterspool Communication’. This is a two-year traineeship tailored for students with a background in communications. During the traineeship, Floortje spends two years at the Innovation, Knowledge and Strategy Directorate of the Ministry of Justice and Security. During the panel, Floortje shared her experience with finding a job. “During my job search, I received a lot of rejections. What I learned from that, is that you should not give up! Eventually something will come your way”, proclaims Floortje. She advises current Media & Journalism students and fresh graduates looking for a job, to focus on traineeships. “They are often well-paid and a ‘real’ job, specifically for starters. What I also like about the traineeship is that there is a lot of room for personal development and taking training courses”, says Floortje.
With an international bachelor in History and master in Global History and International Relations, Jens ended up working as Junior Controller at the Ministry of Interior. Even though it is quite a change from critical thinking to working with numbers in a financial role, he believes his master programme has helped him in quickly establishing links and understanding how the ministry fits into the broader picture of the Netherlands. Jens: “It has also helped to quickly master complex information and extract the most important information from it”. To current history students who aspire a career in the government, Jens says: “First of all: be curious! There are a lot of positions outside policy that are very important and interesting too. So also look at those roles that may not appeal to you as much at first. Second, it is always important to read up on the organisation you are applying to. For instance, think about policies they are currently implementing or things you have seen in the news. Finally, let people know what motivates you to join the government.”
Do you want to learn more about career insights from our former students? Read the alumni experiences on our alumni website or join the Erasmus Career Cafe on working in the Creative Industry on Thursday 20 February 2025.
