Workshops and events

Job Search Essentials (part of the Dual Career Programme)
TU Delft provides a series of 4 workshops to partners of TU Delft employees, who have (recently) moved to the Netherlands and would like to learn more about the Dutch job market and the job application process in The Netherlands.

The workshops are thematically coordinated in order to achieve the best result, therefore, enrolments are only possible for the whole workshop programme and not for an individual workshop only. You will work on your CV, motivation letter, pitch with the trainers. Tips and self-help resources will be shared to improve and strengthen your LinkedIn profile.

Besides getting trained about the Dutch job market, you will also get to know your peer participants who might be in a similar situation as you are. After the final workshop, we have lunch together and a professional photographer will take your profile picture for your LinkedIn profile.

Walk-in career counselling
Apart from the Job Search Essentials, additional walk-in career counselling sessions are organized with TU Delft career counsellors in case you require extra help in strengthening and finalizing your LinkedIn profile. The sessions are conducted online and are subject to the availability of slots per session. The session would be made available after your participation in the Job Search Essentials, in case of additional guidance required.

Unlock your potential (part of the Dual Career Programme)
The aim of this workshop is to give a starting point to reflect on your work and life skills and how you can adapt these to the opportunities and challenges of life as an expatriate partner. The content will be a mix of interactive, practical and informative sessions.

Networking (part of the Dual Career Programme)
In this workshop you will receive:

• Introduction and insights to Networking in the Netherlands
• Practical networking strategies to further your career
• Tools to increase visibility online and offline
• Tips for building and maintaining a personal brand
• Ways to feel more confident when applying for a job, or continuing your career in the Netherlands

Going Dutch: Building your New Life in The Netherlands
This light-hearted, fun yet informative workshop will introduce you to the Dutch people, their mentality and Dutch society in general. It covers a range of topics from meeting people to dealing with the neighbours, from birthdays to customer service. From communicating with the plumber to fun things to do at the weekend. You’ll receive practical tips to help you (and your family) settle quickly and build a life in the Netherlands.

Cycling Lecture
The aim of this workshop is to provide useful and practical information to help international staff members and their partners of TU Delft, ensuring they are prepared for cycling in Delft.

Personal Branding for Job Search
The main objective of this job support group is to provide the participants with necessary skills, self-assessment, personal branding, group support, stimulus, new insights and mostly renewed positive energy to pursue their job search in the Netherlands.

The workshop assists you to find your uniqueness, strengths and in improving and creating a ‘brand’ of yourself that makes you stand out in the job market. There will be six interactive meetings and a recruiter session with an emphasis on the personal strengths each participant already possesses that can be used and highlighted more when searching and applying for jobs.

Personal Wellbeing Workshop
As an accompanying partner of a (new) international TU Delft Staff member, it is not always easy to get settled in The Netherlands. There is a chance of culture shock and loneliness as a result of having left the support network back at home. The main objective of the Personal Wellbeing series is to provide the participants with a peer group, to exchange ideas on various topics such as embracing change, resilience, community building and dealing with isolation. This interactive workshop series is aimed at building a supportive peer network that can engage in conversations within a safe space.

New joiners drinks
With a flood of new faces, introductions, and information, the first few weeks of being in a (new) country, joining another organization, and dealing with other cultures, onboarding a new employee can be challenging and overwhelming.

To get to know other new international colleagues at TU Delft (and their partners) we hope to provide you with a platform where you can expand your (social) network. Many new internationals go through the same process and we believe it is easier if you can learn from each other. In addition, a representative of TU Delft’s HR Contact Centre and volunteers of ACCESS will be present to answer any questions you might have.

International coffee moments
Coffee is a perfect medium to get exposed to new people, ideas and opportunities — both personally and professionally. Relationships are fundamental to all businesses, and meeting in person is an important way to nurture connections. Meeting people over coffee is about having unexpected things happen to you in a predictable way. The most valuable conversations can be with people you don’t know. There’s something everyone has to offer, you just have to be open to hearing new ideas and perspectives.

Walk n Talk
Relocating to a new country and not having friends or networks can feel difficult and isolated. In this outdoor event, participants meet and take a walking tour through the beautiful city centre of Delft and have coffee (to go) at one of the many cosy cafés that the city has to offer. The event is aimed to bring together fellow partners and new employees and create meaningful connections and networks.

Het Taalcafe
If you are learning Dutch and would like to converse with other Dutch learners, then the Taalcafe is the place to do that. A native Dutch speaker is present during the conversations to help with conversation and vocabulary. A minimum of A2 level of Dutch is preferable if you want to join the conversation group. The conversation practice takes place for an hour every week and is currently online.

Street Photo Walk
The street photography walk allows you to explore the historic centre of Delft which is a bountiful source of photographic opportunities, rich in history, architecture, people, and culture. The leisurely walk is conducted through a well-curated route by a  photographer. Beginners, enthusiasts, and seasoned photographers can join the walk with any type of camera. The aim of the walk is simply to have fun, socialise and capture some great shots. The participants are welcome to create their own groups and continue photo walks on their own after the walk. The walk ends with coffee and conversation in one of the cafes in Delft.

Delft Blue Pottery workshop
Royal Delft has been creating iconic and high-quality Delft Blue pottery since 1653. This age-old craft is passed on across generations and beautiful hand-made masterpieces are still made in Delft. The Delft Blue Pottery is an identity of the city and we encourage you to learn about it. In this workshop, we provide you with a first-hand experience of creating a Delft Blue masterpiece of your own. You get to discover how the world-famous Delft Blue is made and create your piece of art. The DIY workshop lets you design your own tile with a special blue paint which you can take home with you immediately after the workshop.

Board Games evening
A fun evening of board games, pizza, drinks and making friends. We have a few games for you to play with. But we’d love it if you could bring games that are unique to your country or region, teach others and play together. The more games, the merrier. We’ll serve some pizza and drinks at the café while you are at it.

Cycling to the Beach
The Netherlands is a cyclist heaven and Cycling to the Beach is the perfect picnic in the company of other internationals who you can get to know on the way. We meet at a central location in Delft and bicycle to one of the beaches nearby. We finish the bike ride with a lunch at a nice restaurant at the beach. The bike ride to the beach is usually 15 to 20 kilometres and takes about 1 to 1.5 hours.

Sports Day
Join us for a morning of sports, activities and fun at the Sports Centre X in Delft. We have some exciting activities lined up for you like soccer, volleyball or tug of war and a three-legged race among others. Whether you are an ardent sports enthusiast or a laid-back couch potato, there is something for everyone. Special games and activities for children are organized for children over 3 years of age. The sports activities are followed by a hearty lunch and a chance to connect with other fellow individuals like you.

Bollywood Dance Workout
Are you looking for a fun way to work out and meet other like-minded people while doing it? Then, join us for a fun-filled hour of dancing to the tunes of Indian Bollywood songs. An opportunity for you to learn simple, yet funky moves and groove to some of the peppy Bollywood tracks. Don't worry if you have two left feet or have never danced before. This session is for complete beginners. All you need is the energy and the zest to enjoy yourself. Just remember to wear comfortable clothing and shoes.

Monthly Photo Challenge
Every month there is a Monthly Photo Challenge with a particular theme and participants can mail their entries. The best photo is selected from the entries and the photo is featured as the header photo in our newsletter the next month with the name of the photographer. The winning photo also features on our social media channels.

Delft Reading Club
Is reading a passion for you? Are you looking for other book enthusiasts to share and discuss your ideas with you? Then the Delft Reading Club, founded by our partner volunteer Jesus Rodrigues in collaboration with Studium Generale is the place to be. The book club has had two successful meetings at the TU Delft library. We are looking to pass on the mantle to another volunteer who may be interested in organising future book club meetings. If you or anyone you know is interested, please send an email to: events-comingtodelftservices@tudelft.nl.