What began as a holiday job has grown into a profession in which Daan Blonk (22) from Wageningen finds new challenges every day. Outdoors, surrounded by wood, water, stone and greenery, he is in his element. In September, Daan will represent The Netherlands at WorldSkills in Shanghai, together with fellow student Hidde Kruit (19).
Daan Blonk originally enrolled on a teacher training course, but soon realised that a career in education was not for him. During school holidays, he thoroughly enjoyed working for a landscaping firm. When he rang his boss to ask if he could join the company on a permanent basis, he found himself in the trade that truly suited him. In garden landscaping, Daan found exactly what he was looking for: variety, a challenge and visible results.
“No two days are the same,” he says. “One day I might be building a fence, the next I might be laying paving or creating a pond.”
Daan Blonk, gardener, Aeres MBO Velp
Office work and outdoor work
He enjoyed the work so much that Daan started the landscaping course at Aeres MBO in Velp: “Here you learn everything about the construction and maintenance of gardens, parks, sports pitches and green spaces. At Level 4 of the ‘green space supervisor/site manager’ course, you also learn site management skills and how to prepare cost estimates. It’s a good balance between preparatory office work and hands-on outdoor work.”
Particularly when Daan was encouraged by his boss to be a bit more assertive, he really took off. Daan progressed within the company, taking on more responsibility and gaining greater self-confidence.
WorldSkills Heroes
His boss, who himself took part in WorldSkills in Tokyo 20 years ago, encouraged him to take part in Skills Heroes. Supported by his colleagues, Daan began training intensively. During Skills Heroes Gardener, participants build a complete garden featuring natural stone, timber structures, water features and planting; all within strict rules and time limits.
The Thinker and The Doer
Berend Poppema, a Garden & Landscape teacher at Aeres MBO Velp, and WorldSkills coach Nicole Slagmolen also played a key role in the process. Berend saw how well Daan and his fellow student Hidde Kruit (19) worked together and encouraged them to take part in the competitions as a team. He also continued to provide them with intensive support.
Daan is the thinker, Hidde the doer. “I usually have the big picture in my head,” says Daan. “Hidde is a natural with his hands.”
Their communication is now so effective that a single word is often enough. This saves time – crucial in a competition where every minute counts. The result: last year they came third in the Netherlands. This year they won gold.
The green talents Daan and Hidde
Photo credit: The Creators Hub – Lara van den Broek
To Shanghai
The training sessions are intensive. “The standard keeps getting a lot higher,” says Daan. “But we’re making good progress.” During an international practice match, they took on the Canadian team. That was an educational experience for both countries.
Nervous? Not yet. “I think that will come when we board the plane.”
The physical strain is considerable, but WorldSkills takes safety into account: work that’s too strenuous isn’t allowed. Still, it remains a trade where you really feel it in your body.
More than just weeding
Because anyone who thinks gardeners mainly pull up weeds is mistaken. “We do much more than just weeding,” says Daan. “We build entire gardens. The work is physical, precise and technical. New materials, tight deadlines, safety requirements: it all comes together. And that’s precisely what makes the profession so wide-ranging and so challenging.”
Daan enjoys mentoring young colleagues. “I often take young lads with me on a job. I really enjoy passing on the trade to them.”
WorldSkills 2026 Team NL
Photo credit: The Creators Hub – Sanne Marcellis
Future plans
Daan’s advice to other students is: don’t let yourself be limited by the educational label attached to your course, but choose what will truly make you happy in the long run. His message is simple but to the point: follow your own path, otherwise you won’t last 60 years.
After Shanghai, Daan’s main aim is to work and advance his career. He sees opportunities within the company, perhaps even moving into an office role. First, he wants to complete his qualification, then continue building his career. “I’m 22. How much do you actually know at that age? Not much, really, is it? So I’m going to focus mainly on gaining as much knowledge as possible.”
Lifeport Human Capital Agreement
Daan’s story illustrates what the Lifeport Human Capital Agreement stands for. Under this agreement, educational institutions and entrepreneurs work together to produce well-trained professionals ready to tackle tomorrow’s challenges. By identifying talent at an early stage, challenging young people and forging close links between education and the business community, a region is created where people can develop and businesses can continue to innovate.
Further information on the Lifeport Human Capital Agreement can be found at: Human Capital Agreement.
