‘If you love your discipline, then Saxion is a great place to give something back to students’

It is not as if Niek van Toor only started at Saxion last month. He had already decided to apply back in 2006, after working for fourteen years as a mechanical engineer construction draughtsman at a number of companies. “Back then I was already giving a lot of courses, also to Saxion lecturers. Or I came across them as internship supervisors. In fact in reality, I was already a teacher of sorts. And I had basically known for some time that I wanted to go into education. However, I first needed to gain practical experience, or so I thought. [laughing] I also couldn’t stand teachers who taught straight from the book. At least, in our discipline anyway.” And so Niek started as a lecturer in mechanical engineering at the Saxion programme of the same name, at the School of Life Science, Engineering & Design (LED). “I teach subjects that I have a practical experience with and have been trained in. For example, methodical design, drawing and constructing machine components. I’m also responsible for the minor Engineering and our International Project Week.”

Keeping up or being at the forefront

Mechanical Engineering. The love for his discipline may well be rooted in the classic principles of physics and maths, but with all the rapid technological developments taking place, it can also mean so much in tomorrow’s world. “Before Saxion, I had worked at different places and had already worked with a wide variety of technology. The innovations just keep on coming, faster than ever. Keeping up or being at the forefront, is something I believe, that mainly takes place at the interface of practice and education. When supervising interns and graduate assignments, you see so many promising and interesting practical projects come your way. I notice in our graduation assignments a movement away from production techniques like welding, turning and milling to sheet work. You can edge and laser cut thin sheets. This trend is becoming increasingly clear, moving from conventional techniques to computer controlled machines and the application of robotics. This in turn nurtures and inspires us in our education.”

Study route Biomedical Engineering

Niek tells how he also gets inspiration from the professional field committee that he is a member of, alongside other lecturers and professionals from the field. “You meet a few times a year to try and find and take opportunities that will maintain the close relations between education and the professional field. It works well, giving new insights and connections.” In his work he needs to look beyond boundaries. Not only over the boundaries of Saxion schools but also further, beyond Saxion. Into the surrounding region and professional field. “The amount of collaboration is increasing. Not just between the different programmes at our school, but also with the  Industrial Engineering & Management study programme and recently with the School of Health.” The latter collaboration led to the start of a new study route: Biomechanical Engineering within the Mechanical Engineering programme. “This is a truly tremendous development, building a bridge to the healthcare domain. You see how technology can provide solutions that literally and figuratively support people. For example with an exoskeleton or special stretcher. Or other aids so people can live at home for longer. There is an abundance of connections with other disciplines. I find this very inspiring and promising.”

Technology or healthcare

Had he seen it coming? That technology would play such a different role in our daily lives? “It may sound strange, but the answer is yes. I once started studying precision mechanics, a variation of mechanical engineering. Graduates often worked at or with rehabilitation centres. For example, Roessingh, as developers of protheses and joints. For a long time I was undecided whether to go for technology or healthcare. It still surprises me how technology can help people in care situations, or help keep them self-reliant for longer.”

Buckets of talent

Technology, healthcare, connecting disciplines: he deals with it all as lecturer. But it is primarily the students that inspire Niek: “In my previous work I was missing something. That was contact with students. I can now work on issues concerning technology from the aspect of education. This gives me a different perspective of my discipline. Another thing I enjoy about working in education is that I can plan a lot. Of course, classes are fixed to an extent, but I can also go my own way to a large degree. Developing or contributing to what interests me. The connection between vocational and applied university education is close to my heart. We have a fantastic progression route for mechanical engineering. I once also progressed from vocational education and I now look with pride at what our vocational students take with them in terms of technical insight and talent. We already supervise them in their second year, with excellent cooperation of ROC Twente, towards possible progression to an applied university. Some students still feel unsure from time to time, but you see them grow. Then I think: just take a look at what’s inside you. You’ve got buckets of talent. You’ve got gold in your hands. If I meet them again later at a company, in my role as graduation assignment supervisor, then I can see just how much they have achieved.”

Enjoy working with people

Niek gets a lot of satisfaction seeing how students develop in the subject that he once chose himself. “If you love your discipline, then Saxion is a great place to give something back to students. Whatever your background. When you come from professional practice then you know what you can mean to an applied university like Saxion. I always welcome new colleagues with open arms and that certainly also applies to lateral-entry teachers from the professional field. Although it is different, as I always say. As designer you were perhaps used to working on projects that you could literally hold in your hands. Every now and then I see a table top at a garden centre that I’ve designed. Working in education involves working on something else: the students that you see later on at companies, as skilled professionals, as graduation assignment supervisors. If you enjoy working with people, then you are at the right place at an applied university like Saxion. I always remind myself of the VMBO [preparatory vocational education] student who was continually told that he couldn’t study, but who, via Saxion, eventually graduated from the University of Twente. If you can mean something to the development of such a student, then for me it can’t get any better than that.”