Berber went from vocational education (mbo) to applied sciences (hbo) to a Master at university: 'You have to use your skills in the right way'

Berber is a fourth-year Creative Business student, but it was not a given for her to attend higher education. "After elementary school, I went to vocational school. Then I ended up at Cibap in Zwolle, where I followed the International Creative Business Developer program. At Cibap, you usually start with a broad year, but it quickly became clear during the introductory meetings that I knew very well what I wanted. I was allowed to skip the broad introductory year and immediately started working on design and marketing." 

Growing Interest

 
After her vocational education, the Creative Business student became even more curious about the field of marketing. "During my studies at Cibap, I realized that I was becoming increasingly interested in the 'why'. Why do we need to create a social media post? Is that post effective? What works better? I found that much more interesting than just graphic design." For this reason, Berber decided to continue her studies in the Creative Business programme. 

Transitioning to applied sciences

"During my internships, I saw that the roles I enjoyed required a marketing education. I started looking for such a program and quickly found Creative Business at Saxion. It was also the only open day I attended, and I knew right-away: this is what I want." Continuing her education was a big step for Berber, as she initially thought she wanted to start working as soon as possible after her vocational education. However, she decided to further explore her newfound curiosity in the field of marketing. "My current programme is the perfect combination of practical education and theory for me." 

Minor at the University

Transitioning from vocational education to higher education is already a significant step, but Berber is on a roll and has decided to pursue her minor at the University of Twente (UT). "I am currently pursuing the pre-master in Communication Science at the University of Twente as my minor. I never thought I would go from vocational school to university." The plan to attend the university stemmed from Berber's natural curiosity. "During my previous education, I became curious about the 'why' questions. I wanted to acquire this knowledge myself instead of accepting things from others. Out of that curiosity, I decided to continue studying further each time." 
 

Motivation from Creative Business Teachers 

The encouragement to take a look at the university's open day came from none other than the teachers of the Creative Business program. They saw Berber's qualities and gave her the confidence to take on the challenge. "I thought: I come from vocational education, I can't do university. My teachers encouraged me to go take a look anyway. Now I've started, and so far, it's going well. If it ultimately doesn't work out, I'll know too. It's better this way than not trying." 

Working hard and learning smart

 
As driven as Berber is, the transition from vocational education to applied sciences was challenging for her. "When I went from vocational education to Saxion, it hit me quite hard. I had to re-learn how to study for an exam again. In the first semester, I got all failing grades. Everyone learns differently and I am very auditory-oriented. That's how I got the idea to record all the key concepts I needed to know. Every moment of the day, when I'm unloading the dishwasher for example, I listen to those key concepts. That's really my thing." So, in the beginning, applied sciences was already demanding, and yet Berber decided to take it up a notch during her minor. "It motivates me to do what I enjoy. To sustain what I'm doing now, I work hard. Since the first week of the pre-master, I've been dedicating about 40 hours a week to school, in addition to my 16-hour job. Having tight schedules helps." 
 

Quality in practicality

 
Initially, Berber saw her practical nature as a reason not to pursue further education. During her educational journey, she discovered that she could use this to her advantage. "Being practically trained was a big advantage for me when I started at Saxion. As a graduate of vocational education, it's important not to lose that talent but to remember what your strengths are. Look for a job in your field so you can test theory in practice. If you come from a background of being theoretically schooled, you might be better at learning in general, but if you come from vocational education, you have more practical experience. One is not better than the other, but you have to use your own qualities in the right way. Don't be hindered by thinking: that's the theory, I can't do it. You can make theory practical yourself."