Charline Van Osselaer (Connectief – Diagnose Car – ENNE)

I started at Connectief in 2013 with a double goal. I wanted my work to make a social contribution in the field of lifelong learning and to contribute constructively to sustainable projects. Every day, as a staff member, I feel how the Connectief projects open doors for teachers and students. There is an innovative and pragmatic atmosphere that has ensured a beautiful evolution over the years. After seven years, I am still very much behind the projects and proud to be part of them.

Arianna Thiré (COFEP)

At the end of 2015 I started as project coordinator of the Belgian network of virtual companies, after having run a virtual company myself for 6 years in a VDAB training centre. Within COFEP, I can not only use my expertise to the fullest, but also focus day in and day out on innovation in the field of business reality, national and international cooperation, business processes in ERP and entrepreneurship.

Since we evolve according to the trends in the educational landscape and the business world, we significantly increase the chances of trainees succeeding on the labour market. Still strong together for work!

Dirk Goyvaerts (Diagnose Car)

Making a contribution, no matter how small, to provide the schools with some extra resources has been the main motivation for us to be at the service of our automotive colleagues for more than 10 years. Our excellent contacts with the sector ensure that we can quickly anticipate the questions from the schools. On the other hand, we also try to listen to the needs of the sector and see if there are any opportunities here.
A constant search for opportunities and new challenges keeps the Diagnose Car project exciting for everyone. We are ready for at least another 10 years!

Morad Tamir (COFEP)

Since September 2013, I have been seconded to work with COFEP to develop the virtual companies project. This project has enabled me to meet teachers in search of new ways to teach pupils. The Virtual Company allow students to be immersed in a professional situation and enable them to practise their business skills.

In addition, this project allows for unforgettable encounters. It is both a coherent and strong professional and social experience.

Ben Bruyndonckx (ErasDu – ENNE)

The positive impact of participating in an internship abroad on a student can be enormous. The personal competences of most participants grow noticeably. Through the internship reports of the participants, but also through the schools involved, I really get to see those results, and that is a very strong motivator to continue my involvement in the project.

Axelle Hérin (COFEP)

I live in Seraing and graduated as a teacher of French and commercial bureaucracy. I’m taking this new challenge with both hands. Starting at COFEP is a dream that I can now further shape. When I was a student, I was also an employee of a virtual company. At Work-it-Easy I got the chance to get a taste of entrepreneurship. It wasn’t always easy, but if you can work from a close-knit team, you can handle anything. I wish to make schools enthusiastic about the COFEP concept in which every participant can develop, after all, running a business is a great responsibility. A quote from John Fitzgerald Kennedy that inspires me and that I have always shared with my students: “La plus grande erreur que vous puissiez faire, dans la vie, c’est d’avoir peur de faire des erreurs.” You learn by trial and error and that makes you stronger.

Kim Hilgert (COFEP)

In my role as project manager at COFEP, I get the opportunity to work with a close-knit and driven team to shape the project and offer our clients the best possible solution for their training needs. When supervisors tell me what the results are for their students or trainees, I realize that we can make a substantial difference in the practical training of (young) adults by bringing the business reality into the training. Moreover, I have the opportunity to develop new initiatives in Flanders as well as in Wallonia and to use my own experience.

Micheline Degheselle (COFEP)

Since the 1st of September 2021 I can be part of the COFEP team taking the role of Coach/Project Developer.

Before my secondment I was active as an economics teacher (VET). The actions of Cofep appealed to me enormously because in my opinion it is an enormous added value for students to optimaze their skills and realize competences in a business-realistic environment.

What is important to me is creating the “perfect match” feeling on both sides. That’s the end goal!

Christel Hillen (COFEP)

During my career as a computer science teacher, I became acquainted with COFEP, which was still in its infancy at the time. I was surprised time and again to see the students so enthusiastic and driven in their virtual company. As a trainer I saw their self-confidence grow through the application of the learning-by-doing principle. They could also develop their talents in a realistic company environment. This convinced me to develop tools that technically support the principle and I took up the challenge to apply ERP Dynamics NAV in the virtual company. As COFEP’s project manager, I can support trainers and that makes me happy.