My Secondary Education and Early Technical Skills

Early Technical Experience

My journey in technology began early with hands-on experience at Emely-Pc, where I worked in IT Backoffice from November 2007 to January 2015. During this formative period, I developed fundamental IT skills including:

• Computer hardware cleaning and maintenance
• Hardware troubleshooting and repair
• Software troubleshooting and optimization
• Basic customer service for technical issues

This early exposure to practical IT work provided me with a strong foundation in understanding computer systems from both hardware and software perspectives.

Secondary Education Period

During my secondary education years, I continued to build on this foundation through both formal education and practical experience. My coursework focused on subjects that would support a technical career path, with particular emphasis on mathematics and sciences.

First Professional IT Role

In December 2015, while still in secondary school, I advanced to the position of IT Allround Medewerker at Emely-Pc, where I took on more comprehensive responsibilities:

• In-store technical support and computer repair
• Customer-facing IT consultation
• Helpdesk support, including remote troubleshooting
• On-site technical support at customer locations
• IT backoffice operations

This position allowed me to develop my customer service skills alongside my technical capabilities, teaching me how to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical users—a skill that would prove valuable throughout my career.

Early Career Diversification

My early working experiences weren't limited to IT. In 2015, I briefly worked as a Winkelmedewerker at Kruidvat, handling cashier duties and inventory management. This experience, though outside the technology field, helped develop soft skills in customer service and retail operations that complemented my technical background.

Skills Developed During This Period

This formative period of education and early work experience helped me develop several key skill sets:

• Technical Skills: Hardware troubleshooting, software repair, Windows operating systems, computer maintenance
• Customer Service: Face-to-face technical support, phone support, explaining technical concepts to non-technical users
• Problem-Solving: Systematic troubleshooting, independent problem resolution, resourcefulness
• Professional Skills: Time management, appointment scheduling, following up with customers

Foundation for Further Education

These early experiences in secondary education and initial IT roles helped clarify my interest in pursuing higher education in information technology. The practical knowledge I gained provided valuable context for the more theoretical concepts I would later encounter at Hogeschool Leiden.

The combination of formal education and hands-on technical work during this period was instrumental in developing both the hard and soft skills necessary for success in the technology field, creating a strong foundation for my subsequent education and career development.