Filip Vanderstappen

Upon obtaining my Master's degree in astronomy (and Bachelor's degree in Japanology) I started working at the international division of TPG (TNT Post Group) This was during the peak of the e-commerce bubble. The offer consisted of a fulltime 1 year post-academic ICT training athe the Leiden Institute of Advanced Cmputer Science (LIACS) followed by a fulltime employment at TPG. I worked several years at TPC starting as a project leader and expanding my skills to ICT-management and product management. I really enjoyed my job but unfortunately the greenfield project I was involved in - "Smartparcel" - was terminated. I then decided to take the high jump and start my own business. Initially this was the baduk-school which developed into Odessa Web Development, enabling me to advise people and small companies on implementing and/or improving their web-presence and occasionally developing entire sites. During the first two-three years of setting up my company I was employed parttime as a university teacher at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, teaching management and programming. I enjoyed this immensely amd found that teaching was really my thing. But i missed real interaction with the students so I tried my luck in teaching at secondary schools. I found my perfect spot at the Vrijzinnig Christelijk Lyceum (VCL). I found this so satisfying I am working there still, keeping Odessa web Development at low profile, cherrypicking only projects I liked and keeping my network and expertise up to date. As of last year I have scuttled Odessa Web Development to focus completely on teaching and finding a new challenge. I have set up a blog at vo-toekomst.nl to share and exchange thoughts on current developments. I am still happy at my job but I am gradually expaning my horizon and looking for new challenges.