Martina Thijssen |

Posted On 18/06/2023

Interview by Chloë&nbspvan der Smitte and Sean Fisher

Celebrating her 25th anniversary at the Academy, Martina humbly reflects on how the “personal contacts complete her job” - and the lesser known secret of being a pilot prior to joining DAE.

*This interview was initially conducted in Dutch and translated by Creative Publisher Chloë&nbspvan der Smitte, in collaboration with Sean Fisher.

“[How many years I work here is] not important to me. I think it is much more important that I can go to work every day with pleasure. That's my starting point, not to count down the years.”

→ When did you start at DAE?

MT: It was 1st of January I officially was hired. I don't think the year I’ve started is important, but it was in 1997. That's a good anecdote. One of the directors once asked me: how long have you been employed? And I said: I don't know. And he said surprisingly: you don't know? Then I said: that's not important to me. I think it is much more important that I can go to work every day with pleasure. That's my starting point, not to count down the years. Occasionally I do reflect on it, though. Like last year when I celebrated my 25th anniversary. I went out for cake with colleagues.

→ So, you never thought you would work here for so long?

MT: No, actually not.

→ Did you start as a receptionist from the beginning? And what makes your work enjoyable?

MT: Yes, I started immediately as a receptionist. What makes it so enjoyable has changed over the years, though. There is less swirl here, a lot of tasks have been taken away from the reception desk. Diversity in tasks, for example. What also fits into the spirit of the times is that there is less contact with students. That really used to be much more.

People nowadays have changed, as has the whole communication system. There is much less direct communication. Before, you didn't have computers either. Martina laughs So that was very different, you can hardly imagine that anymore.

Gets a phone call Good morning.... You're speaking to Martina from Design Academy Eindhoven…

→ So, because of the rise of technology, that contact has become less you say?

MT: Yes, especially with the arrival of social media. But connecting and forming relationships has also changed. People can hide it much more when things are not going well. And that's often what a real relationship is about. Students used to come to me more often, I was a listening ear for them. But there is also more digital communication in the organization itself. Everything goes by e-mail. But that's just the times.

→ How did you adapt to the digital age?

MT: I haven't really done that, it has been a gradual process, you go along with it. Like a ship you sail in. You go with the flow.

→ Can you recall an anecdote in which you had special contact with a student?

MT: Martina laughs No I'm not going to tell you that, but students often told me their secrets. Sometimes that had consequences, that I was thinking this is wrong somehow. But students just wanted to tell their story.

→ How do you keep your work fun?

MT: That's in my character to make it fun.

“I am a positive person. I also like to be someone’s hands and feet. I always say this to the students: I want to be your hands and feet, I can't do everything, but I want to do what I can do for you.”

→ Yes, indeed you are always cheerful.

MT: Yes, that is true. Martina laughs That's just my character. I am a positive person. I also like to be someone’s hands and feet. I always say this to the students: I want to be your hands and feet, I can't do everything, but I want to do what I can do for you.

→ How would students describe you?

MT: Sometimes I hear from students that they are very grateful, which cannot be expressed in a number. That makes it valuable to be in this position.

→ You talk about the students and communication that has changed, but how have you seen the school change over the years?

MT: What you see is that everything is much more controlled. It used to be less back in the days.

“We can't get around each other's cultures anymore. People sometimes want to have uniformity. But we can't. And that's precisely what makes it interesting.”

→ Do you think that's a good development?

MT: People are also changing. So, what you see is that more rules are being made to keep it liable at school. And that is also necessary, because people are changing. That wasn't the case in the past, it regulated itself more automatically.

Students have become much more international. I really like that, all those cultural differences. We can't get around each other's cultures anymore. People sometimes want to have uniformity. But we can't. And that's precisely what makes it interesting. And that's not only at DAE, but also in the Netherlands itself, which I find very interesting.

→ Do you see yourself working in another position?

MT: No, I'm really a people’s person. I don't want to work behind a screen, just processing e-mails. If that changes in my job, I would become really unhappy. That would be a reason to quit my job. The personal contact completes my job.

The contact with students is always very special. If they just want to say something about themselves so you only must be a listening ear. It is yes... just... where do you stand in your work. We've been through a lot and had many students who now have really exciting and successful careers. These were also often the students who pulled out all sorts of things. Who lived on the edge. Those are fun memories.

Gets called again Good morning.... You're speaking to Martina from Design Academy Eindhoven…

But yes, I like to be that listening ear.

“I live with the day, in the moment. Just deal with the things that are happening at that moment. I give that advice to students too: don't worry about tomorrow. Worrying about tomorrow always comes a day too early. And... take the joy of life, not pleasure, but really the joy.”

→ How do you see the coming years?

MT: The next few years I see for myself that I'm winding down. I now work 3 days, instead of 4, so I have more and more time for myself. In my spare time, I like gardening, being outside, walking and cycling. I'm also working on that with a network for the future - which is fast approaching. It also has to do with people’s work. I can't say too much about it yet.

I still have four years to go until my legal retirement, so that's quite soon. Then I would just barely touch 30 years at DAE. That would be nice. On to 30 years. But that's not where my focus is. I live with the day, in the moment. Just deal with the things that are happening at that moment. I give that advice to students too: don't worry about tomorrow. Worrying about tomorrow always comes a day too early. And... take the joy of life, not pleasure, but really the joy. It is there, despite the extraordinary times we are living in now.

→ What do many people not know about you?

MT: That I used to fly, I had my pilot's license. I don't fly anymore, because you have to keep up by making flying hours every year. I completed my full training, a lot of people don't know that. I enjoyed doing that for about 10 years.

But then sometimes things pass in your life and then you stop. I had an accident (not during flying) that made me stop. After that I flew for a while, but I was out of the running for a year. My teacher I flew with also stopped. So, it was more of a coincidence. I also liked para gliding: I jumped right off the mountain. France, Spain... the funny thing was, I ran those big guys out... That was such a fun period in my life.

→ Do you have any exciting gossip for us?

MT: Martina laughs no, unfortunately I can’t tell you!

gets another phonecall MT: Good morning.... You're speaking to Martina from Design Academy Eindhoven…