November 2020
Professional
Development Weeks
The Professional Development Weeks is an exclusive programme for all students of UvA Economics and Business. Spread across a few weeks, you get the chance to get unique trainings from experts from the field.
What we offer
We offer several workshops and seminars to develop your professional skills, like negotiating and managing, but also working efficiently, and visualising data using Excel. In groups of 25 students, you’ll receive useful tips and get to practice several things that will help kickstart your professional career.
Most trainings offer two sessions, so if you can’t make it to one, you may be able to join the other option. Do not sign up for both, as you may end up costing someone else a spot.
Sign up here
Workshop Dates Timeslots Location
Think Like a Start-up Game Thu. 12-11 14:00-16:00 Online
Working Smarter Fri. 13-11 1) 09:30-11:30
2) 12:00-14:00 Online
Pitfalls of Customer Briefings Mon. 16-11 11:00-12:30 Online
What’s Important in your Ideal
Job? Tue. 17-11
1) 12:00-14:00
2) 14:00-16:00 Online
Excel Skills Wed. 18-11 1) 10:00-12:00
2) 13:00-15:00 Online
Negotiation Skills Thu. 19-11 1) 12:00-14:00
2) 14:00-16:00 Online
Starting as a Manager Fri. 20-11 1) 10:00-12:00
2) 12:00-14:00 Online
Workshop Think like a Start-up Game
In this session, you’ll set up your own start-up company and get familiar with Design Thinking. Through playing this game, you learn the range of different customer needs and how you put the customer at the centre of designing innovative concepts. Interaction, creativity and collaboration are front and centre in the Think like a Start-up Game.
Learning goals
• Learning the benefits of a value-driven organisation
• Learning to deal with the threat of completing tasks without reflection on the process
• Learning to (re)connect and empathise with your customers or end-users
• Getting a basic understanding of the Design Thinking methodology
Trainers
Daphne Lamberts is a Service Development Lead at DesignThinkers Academy and works for global clients like Cartier, L’Oréal, Pictet, Carmeuse, bol.com, Randstad, Gucci, and the municipality of Amsterdam. She holds a MA in Concept Development & Trend Research, always designing with a human-centered perspective at mind.
Hui Ling Fu is a Service Designer at DesignThinkers Academy and has a background in Product & Service Design, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial & Product Design. She works for global clients like Vodafone, the municipality of Amsterdam, Randstad, and bol.com.
Sign up here
Thu. 12-11
14:00-16:00
How do you cope with all the challenges and responsibilities of your study, work and private life? How do you keep the overview, lower your stress levels, and maintain your focus? The answer: work smarter! In this active workshop, you’ll learn a method that will help you do more with higher quality. You’ll get practical tips on working smarter, which let you handle your time and attention more effectively.
Learning goals
• Creating an overview in work and study
• Increasing focus when studying
• Learning a method that helps you do more with higher quality in your studies
Sign up here*
Workshop Working Smarter
Trainer
Patrick Stastra has shared his productivity expertise at companies like Hay Group, Delta Lloyd, ABN AMRO, and the Amsterdam Center for Entrepreneurship. He holds a Master’s degree in Economy, and he is a former HR consultant.
Fri. 13-11
09:30-11:30 or
12:00-14:00
Online
In your job, you will often be an intermediary between your company and your customer or a third party. It is vital that you know how to communicate correctly and effectively what the needs of the different parties are. In this workshop, you’ll learn how challenging this can be in a customer briefing, and you’ll get several tips and tricks to help you navigate them.
Learning goals
• Becoming familiar with the pitfalls of customer communication
• Getting practical advice on how to conduct customer briefings
Sign up here
Trainer
Maurice Fransen is a marketing specialist, having worked as a Marketing Director at 538 Group and Q-Dance, as well as Marketing Strategist for ID&T. He also has experience as Account Manager, at V&D and as Account Director at McCann-Erickson.
Mon. 16-11
11:00-12:30
Online
In this training, you learn what you require of a job to make it a suitable job for you, which will increase your chance of success and happiness. This can guide you towards finding the right first job for you. You’ll find out what you need through a flow analysis: how do you reach a ‘flow state’ and what does this say about you? Take this workshop to find out!
Learning goals
• Focusing on qualities instead of defects
• Finding out what’s important for you in your first job
• Staying true to yourself in finding a job
Workshop What’s Important in your Ideal Job?
Sign up here*
Trainers
Eline Meijer is a Strength Consultant, after working previously in
psychology and as an Operational Manager at Guidion. She successfully introduced strength-based working at her company, before starting Strenghts Consultancy with Eva. She has an MSc in Psychology.
Eva de Meijier is a Strength Consultant and a former team lead at ABN AMRO. An intense personal development programme introduced her to her current field and passion: coaching. This led her and Eva to start Strenghts Consultancy. She holds an MSc in Business Administration.
Tue. 17-11
12:00-14:00 or
14:00-16:00
Online
Many companies work with Excel to complete their bookkeeping, organise tasks, and to store and analyse data. Understanding how to analyse and visualise that data lets you identify patterns that could help you identify opportunities for cost reduction or value creation. It may also help you convince others of these opportunities.
This workshop requires no prior knowledge and will teach you several beginner techniques for data analysis and visualisation.
Learning goal
• Being able to analyse and visualise data effectively in Excel
Sign up here*
Workshop Excel Skills
Trainer
Peter Snoeren is an Assistant Professor at the University of Amsterdam, in the strategy department. He is specialised in the relationship between stakeholder orientation and corporate strategy, and how this affects value creation and value capture. He has been teaching Excel and Data Science courses for 5 years.
Wed. 18-11
10:00-12:00 or
13:00-15:00
Online
Negotiating requires several skills. You must keep an eye on all interests, monitor margins and boundaries, and hopefully everyone is satisfied with the outcome. In this negotiating workshop, we deal with the negotiation process from start to finish to ensure that you get the best results.
Learning goals
• Understanding the art of the negotiation process
• Finding the mindset you need to get the best results
Sign up here*
Workshop Negotiation Skills
Trainer
Sandra van de Mheen is a trainer of leadership skills at Business Impact, after working for an AI start-up and as a Business Unit Manager. She holds a Master’s degree in Management from Nyenrode Business University.
Thu. 19-11
12:00-14:00 or
14:00-16:00
Online
As a manager, you need a good set of soft skills. They complement hard skills and allow people to work well with others, perform better and achieve their goals. How do you let your team grow and motivate them at the same time? This workshop will give you insights into motivating your team and controlling the outcome of the tasks you give them.
Learning goal
• Understanding the mindset you need to let your team grow and achieve organisational objectives
Sign up here*
Workshop Starting as a Manager
Fri. 20-11
10:00-12:00 or
12:00-14:00
Online
Trainer
Sandra van de Mheen is a trainer of leadership skills at Business Impact, after working for an AI start-up and as a Business Unit Manager. She holds a Master’s degree in Management from Nyenrode Business University.
What do you need to know for a career in consulting? Whether you’ll go into strategy, operations, managing, or any type of consulting, you need a number of basic competences. In this seminar, you’ll learn about the fundamental skills for any consulting or professional career, the things people say ‘they wish they knew when they started their career’.
As a bonus, you’ll get a special Consultant’s Digital Toolkit.
Learning goals
• Scoping and structuring any client assignment
• Managing your client, stakeholders & project
• Listening, communicating and presenting effectively
• Managing change and adoption
Sign up here
Workshop Fundamental Consulting Skills
Mon. 30-11
15:00-17:00
Online
Trainer
