About us

Job coach

I was born in 1970 in a very small village above Gorinchem. I am married and a mother of two

young adults (a daughter and a son). Autism and energy management are part of our family life

and make me and our household less typical. Long ago, I got my Master's degree at TUE, worked

in the IT industry and since 2013 I have been working at FHICT as a teacher, tutor, coach or mentor

for mainly international students.

I am an enthusiastic, curious, colourful and positive person. I love looking for things (fossils,

Pokémons, birds...) and sometimes I like the hunt even more than the catch. In the picture, in front

of my face, you can see an ammonite I found in France (Cap Blanc-Nez), which I am extremely

happy with.

Enough about me. CJS is all about you! And I am extremely curious about your story.

Because autism, ADHD, and dyslexia are prevalent within my family, I decided to get a master's degree as an autism specialist in 2012. My areas of expertise are helping people get back to work and (job) coaching. 

I strive to create a more inclusive society in which talented students get the chance to shine and work fulfilling jobs. I find fulfilment in the challenge of figuring out what career suits you best and finding the companies that meet your needs. This is what brings me a lot of joy.

I have had a blast teaching at Fontys Information and Communication Technology for sixteen years and counting. Besides teaching, I'm also a semester coach and an internship and graduate supervisor. I also volunteer as a study coach for Planckgas (Fontys Applied Science). After an inspiring course to become a walking therapy coach, I realised how valuable nature is in coaching. I must admit my bias, as I enjoy strolling through nature in my spare time. Other hobbies are reading, singing, Tai Chi, music, theatre and drawing. 

I'm a mother of four sweet children, with three of them having autism. I'm also a grandmother of a very adventurous toddler and an adorable baby. I enjoyed following the Practitioner Autism course at Fontys OSO in 2019-2020. It helped me get an even better understanding of autism. Recently, I finished job coach training. I can't wait to start this journey together with you!

I'm an external job coach at Fontys. I also work for 'Autismepunt' as a job coach and re-integration coach. Within Fontys, I'm involved with several studies as a job coach, in which I support teachers and students. This support revolves around internships, graduations and finding a job. I'm interested in people and their talents. I'm convinced that work and participation in society give fulfilment and happiness to the people involved. This is why it's such a fun job to do.

I believe that everyone within our society counts, regardless of your qualities and pitfalls. As long you're content with who you are and what you do. My focus within Fontys Information and Communication Technology is supporting (graduated) students who need a little more help. Together, we'll figure out the requirements a job needs to make you happy and at ease in your workspace. Few things bring me as much joy as helping students. Other sources of joy are my four children, drinking wine and going out for dinner. I also enjoy playing a thrilling game of beach volleyball. 

Hello there, I'm Lars Veerhoff, a job coach with over 15 years of experience in education. I currently specialize in helping neurodiverse students find fulfilling and meaningful careers.

I take a personal approach to coaching and understand that everyone's career journey is unique. I've worked in special needs, secondary, and higher education, so I know how tough it can be to navigate the job market.

I believe in personal agency and am committed to empowering you to take control of your career journey. I'm here to provide support and guidance, but ultimately, it's up to you to take action and make your dreams a reality.

I also developed a reflective career support intervention called the Career Fitness Journey. This program is designed to help students better understand their career goals and how to achieve them. This reflective process increases self-awareness and confidence, clarifies career goals, and provides a greater sense of purpose and direction in your career journey, which is invaluable to navigating the complex and ever-changing job market.

Overall, I'm passionate about helping neurodiverse students succeed in their careers. My whole-person approach, reflective career support intervention, and practical advice make me an asset to any student seeking guidance and support on their career journey. So, if you're looking for personalized career support, I'm here to help you achieve your goals!

Hi, I am Jessica Polderman, 22 years old and I live in Tilburg. I recently started working within Career Jumpstart as a job coach. I also help with the expansion to other institutes and support with research. I recently completed the master's degree in Positive Psychology and Well-being. This is a movement within psychology that focuses on what goes well. I try to translate this into my work at Career Jumpstart. Together with you, I want to look at your talents and qualities in order to find a suitable job.

I like to work with you to find a great place to work. A place where you feel safe, where you can develop and where your talents come into their own. A place that suits you!

With a background in Applied Psychology and Occupational and Organisational Psychology, I am happy to support (graduate) students in this search. In this, I think it is important that your qualities are seen, by yourself and by others.

I love sociability! I like to spend my free time with my friends and family, having a drink together or taking a boat trip.

‘Maybe you have to meet yourself first, before you can be yourself’, wrote Loesje.

It is very important you can be yourself in your work and your qualities are really seen, named and

used. The feeling that your work gives you energy and makes you happy because it suits you so

well. Sometimes it helps if someone challenges you to ‘encounter’ yourself and get to know

yourself better. Someone who really sees you.

Really seeing, connecting and appreciating each other are important aspects for me and I find

them in my work at Career Jumpstart. As HR Coach for my Career Jumpstart colleagues, I like to

contribute to team-building, cooperation and optimal talent utilisation.

In the job coaching of our candidates, my ability to listen and pay attention enable me to make a

meaningful contribution to the candidates' self insights. So that they really see themselves. And

then start the search for a job that makes them happy because their talents are seen, named and

used.

I am Elisabeth Smits, a passionate trainer-coach, guiding individuals on their journey towards

personal development and growth. Within my work at TU/e, I mainly focus on the professional side

and guide students on their way to their job/ internship. My life motto ‘being different is allowed’

stems from my belief that everyone has unique talents and potential (dharma). My mission,

therefore, is to help people discover and harness these. I encourage my candidates to embrace

their strengths and be proud of who they are. I have been involved with Career Jumpstart since

September 2023, a match made in heaven. My curiosity, quirkiness, pioneering and doer's

mentality come in handy at CJS. I feel like I belong, because my passion for ‘being different’,

inclusion and personal growth are core values here. I thoroughly enjoy meeting, guiding, and

watching people grow. My own search for ‘who am I?’ and ‘what do I want?’, has led to me being

able to say with full conviction that I am completely in place, both at TUe and Career Jumpstart.

And I wish the same feeling for everyone.

So don't hesitate, sign up and let's work together on your personal and professional development.

The result will be the right job!