Renate Kikkert Aspiring Frontend Developer

Finding out what I want to do was not easy. This is what I did before I got into frontend programming.

Education

After finishing my VWO (pre-university education), I spent two years working, in the Netherlands and at a kibbutz in Israel. I was not sure yet what I wanted to study, and decided to see something of the world first.
In 2001 I started studying Autonomous Art at Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam (University of Applied Sciences). There I made mostly 3D work, and learned techniques like welding, working with polyester, ceramics, sewing, painting and etching. I loved working with metal and electrotechnics. I felt at the right place at first, but after the third year I decided to stop. The study became to 'free' for me, when there were no more assignments and we were just working on our own. I looked into studies in the direction of another of my passions: languages.
In 2005 I started the bachelor study Slavic Languages and cultures at the University of Leiden. I learned Russian, and studied Russian linguistics, literature, history, law and economics. Also, I did a minor 'Didactics of Dutch as a Second Language'. The bachelor phase included a three month period at Saint Petersburg State University, in Russia. In 2009 I started the master study Slavic Languages and Cultures. My main subject was Russian linguistics, with a focus on semantics and syntax. In 2011 I graduated with honours. After working for a year, I saved up enough to make yet one more career change, studying frontend programming. In this I can combine my passion for language and creative work.

Work History

My most recent job was working as an Order Review Specialist at NetApp BV, an international company selling data storage hardware, software and service. In my function I checked Russian and Dutch sales orders, and managed the resolution of all possible problems occurring after sales.
Before this, during university, I worked as a teacher in Dutch language. I had three jobs in this direction, as an intern, as a teachers assistant and as voluntary work. Even further back, from 2004 to 2007, I worked at De Slegte bookstore in Rotterdam, selling and buying second hand books.

Referees

Available upon request.