The VU has more than 100,000 alumni. Where did they end up after their studies? In this section, we feature three alumni who studied in the same programme. This time: alumni of archaeology.
‘No jobs in archaeology? We’ll just see about that’
You had two jobs before you started your studies. Why did you begin so late? “I’d wanted to go to university since I was 17, but my parents didn’t have the financial resources for it. They offered to pay for the Schoevers secretary training instead. After working for 10 years, I’d earned enough to make my dream come true and go to university.”
Why did you choose Archaeology? “I’ve been helping with digs in Haarlem every Saturday for 20 years, since I was 19. When I enrolled in university, I considered Archaeology, which I already knew a lot about, and Art History, which was a new field for me. At the VU, the two disciplines were combined in the study programme ‘Art History and Archaeology’, which was the ideal solution for me.”
Was it difficult to find work in your field? “On the first day of school, they told us: ‘Don’t think you’ll ever get a job in Archaeology.’ Since I’d just given up a good job, I thought: we’ll just see about that. And I’ve always had fun work in the field since I graduated.”
What are you doing now? “I’m a project leader at the Presentations department of the The National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden. I’m in charge of several exhibitions each year. Together with the project team, I’m responsible for making sure that they’re realised on time and within budget. I also apply for subsidies and edit the exhibit texts. And I regularly travel abroad for exhibitions. For our next exhibition, I’m going to museums in Turin, Paris and London, to find out if we can borrow objects from their collections.”
‘We slept on cots in an empty school’
What does your work entail? “I’m a supervisor at the CAOP, a knowledge- and service centre for labour issues in the public sector. Our team’s most important work is contributing to a properly functioning labour market in higher education. Together with the unions and employer’s associations, we ensure that there are enough good employees available. For example, we support primary education school boards in hiring shared substitute teachers.”
How did you get this job with a background in Archaeology? “I had attended other study programmes before enrolling in Archaeology: the first year of Applied Education and a degree in Applied Communications Studies at the University of Twente. I enrolled in Archaeology because I wanted something with more depth, but during my studies I got a job working on policy for the education sector. I considered getting a PhD in Archaeology, until I had my first child after earning a Bachelor’s. I already had a good job at the CAOP, so I decided to just continue my career there.”
What was the high point of your studies? “The field work in southern Italy. Every summer, we went to Apulia for four weeks of research. We slept on cots in a school that was empty during the summer holidays, we ate at the school desks and held meetings in the gym in the morning. That setting made it feel like it was a long school field trip. They were adventurous weeks, because you never knew what you would discover during the day. I went back when my daughter was almost two, so I could experience the good old times one more time.”
‘I do archaeological diving projects from Scotland to South Africa’
Is your work as adventurous as it sounds? “It’s just like an adventure novel! I do archaeological diving projects all over the world; from Scotland to South Africa and from France to Oman. I either dive myself, or I’m involved in some other capacity. One good example is the Gnalic project in Croatia. There, we dive to an interesting wreck of an old trading ship that sunk in 30-meter water in 1583. It’s full of a cargo intended for the Sultan in Constantinople. Really interesting scientific research! In 2012, I set up my own company: Maritime Research & Consultancy, where I take on outside assignments or do fundraising for projects together with universities.”
You also studied Economics. “Yes, and I enjoyed working for companies like KPN and Johnson & Johnson for 15 years. But in 2013, I followed my other passion: I took a break from work and studied Archaeology at the VU and in Leiden at the same time. Now I combine my knowledge from both worlds, because my business knowledge and my network come in handy.”
What was your student life like, as an older student? “I really enjoyed it. In my year, there were a few other older students, along with all of the 20-year-olds, so it was a mixed company. But I got along well with the other students. It’s all about your own attitude. In addition to studying together, we also did a lot of fun activities outside of school, and the field work was amazing. Now I often work with foreign students, and we always have a good time.”
Which of the lecturers do you still remember fondly? “Douwe Yntema and Nico Roymans. Douwe, who’s retired now, was so amiable and helpful. He wrote a beautiful letter of recommendation for me when I was only a sophomore and I wanted to participate in a project in America. Nico was my thesis supervisor. He’s extraordinarily competent and intelligent, and has a lot of knowledge, even about subjects he doesn’t work on himself. I have fond memories of both of them!”
