Dutch athletes benefit from work experience programme

17 | 3 | 2014

A partnership between the NOC*NSF [Dutch Olympic Committee and Dutch Sports Federation] and recruitment agency, Randstad, is preparing athletes for life after sport.

The Gold on the Workfloor programme offers career advice to elite athletes in the Netherlands and provides an opportunity for them to obtain work experience to run alongside their training.

The NOC*NSF and Randstad established their partnership in 1997 with both organisations conscious that sporting careers do not last forever. As a result, Randstad offers guidance to young people just starting out in their athletic careers and advice to elite athletes transitioning from sporting competition to a career outside of sport.

Companies participating in Gold on the Workfloor offer athlete's flexible working hours so they can also fit in their usual training regimes.

While the opportunities offered to athletes are impressive, the benefits are not all one way. Participating companies enjoy the value of having an elite athlete in the work place serving as a role model to colleagues and inspiring a healthy lifestyle. In addition, elite athletes often arrive with well-developed skills including discipline, ambition, self-efficacy and a desire to achieve results adding value for employers and providing valuable experience for the athletes.