Working At Witlox VCS

Who am I?

My name is Dietske Bastiaensen, I am 22 years old and was born in Zundert. After graduating from VWO, I started my bachelor in Business- and Consumer sciences at the University of Wageningen. During my studies I became interested in the way companies handle their finances. Therefore, when I was finishing my bachelor’s degree, I started with the premaster Accountancy. I graduated from both educations over the past half year.

Since the amount of course work over the past year was limited, I had time for some extracurricular activities next to my studies. Therefore, I began searching for a side-job in accountancy to obtain practical experience in addition to my studies. Hence, I started about 7 months ago with an internship at Witlox VCS in the position of Assistant Accountant within the audit. Since then, I have been working at Witlox VCS for about 4 days a week.

In September I will start my masters education in Accounting, in which I will do the ‘’Professional (RA/RC) route’’. This program concerns a full-time degree of one year, which I will combine with my position at Witlox VCS. Thanks to Witlox VCS, I will thus have the opportunity to put the theory from the lectures directly into practice by combining studying with working. Furthermore, in coordination with my supervisor there is a certain amount of flexibility to spend more time at Witlox VCS when my study allows it, and work less when I am preparing for my exams.

What do I do at Witlox VCS and what does the team and organization look like? 

Witlox VCS is located in Breda and targets SMEs. I am currently working as an assistant in the Audit team. The team consists of assistants and accountants and our main task is to carry out control activities for the larger clients of Witlox VCS. Often, I work at the office of the client, which allows me to view various companies from within. We work on each assignment for about two to three weeks in teams that consist of three persons. As a result, I am involved in several parts of the control process and observe a large part of the activities that take place within the organization.

Witlox VCS offers a total package to its clients, which means that you collaborate with other departments as well. For example, the wage department of Witlox VCS looks after the salary administration and payments for some clients. In addition, Witlox takes care of financial questions within the corporate finance department, provides fiscal advice and performs calculations in the fiscal department. All this information is valuable input for my role and used to perform my tasks properly.

The team consists mostly out of Register Accountants (RAs) and students that are doing the RA route (e.g. at the Neyenrode Business University or at the University of Tilburg). Because the team consists of multiple students and experienced Register Accountants, the working environment is productive and enjoyable. Recently we went with the assistant-accountants to a craft beer night, which allowed us to get to know each other in a different setting.

“The employee day demonstrated that Witlox VCS is looking for development, not only on a corporate level, but also on a personal level.”

Next to the work there are more activities, either with the team or the entire office. For instance, the yearly team trip took us to a golf course, where we received a golf training and were able to play some holes. The day was concluded with a delicious Italian meal and lots of laughter. Furthermore, two weeks ago I attended my first employee day. During the day, two courses were offered. The first course was about your personal ambition and intrinsic motivation. The second course expanded on this topic, by tying the personal ambitions within the office together in a collective ambition. Following these courses we had dinner and competed against each other in a pubquiz. This way, the entertainment was coupled to the educational part, which allowed the office to grow closer together by getting to know each other better.

The employee day demonstrated that Witlox VCS is looking for development, not only on a corporate level, but also on a personal level. Furthermore, personal development as well as receiving and giving feedback is one of the central themes within the training programs of Witlox VCS.

My experience at Witlox so far

What I enjoy most from working at Witlox VCS is that it is an accounting office of medium size, with approximately 120 employees. In my experience it meant I was taken seriously from the start, which is also exemplified by the opportunity to work on control activities. In addition, you are involved in many affairs and obtain a good overview of what is happening in the company. It allows for an informal working environment and efficient communication channels between various teams. As a result, I felt immediately at home at Witlox VCS.

Tips for students of Tilburg University

It is important to look for something you will actually like and are interested in. To discover this, having access to as much information as possible is useful. You can gather this information by talking to people about their experiences. You can always send me a message via Linkedin or talk to me at the university if you have questions.

Do you think working at Witlox VCS is something for you and do you want to receive more information? Have a look at our website (https://www.witloxvcs.nl/) or contact Loes Vinkenborg.