The challenge: from fragmentation to the need for one central location
Within the Department of Health & Welfare at ROC Nijmegen, the BPV office coordinates around 2,000 to 2,500 internships for twelve courses annually. An enormous logistical operation in which students specify preferences, the field of work has its own wishes and requirements, and an accurate match must be made every school year.
Until 2020, this was primarily done manually. “We did everything in Excel and via separate emails,” says Lieke Hertman. “Documents were scattered all over the place. That was error-prone, time-consuming, and simply impossible to do.”
The professional field also struggled with the lack of an overview. “Internship companies often didn't know where to find information. It all came in via separate emails. That didn't work out well for anyone.”
In addition, there was tension because not everyone was equally digitally savvy. And the growth didn't help: “With so many matches per year, your process stalls if you don't have a good system.”
The BPV office urgently needed one central place for matching, communication, and monitoring, a system that supports the dynamics of care & well-being.
The solution: OnStage as the central backbone of the BPV process
In the search for a matching system, OnStage came out on top. “We were looking for something that could support our entire process. OnStage had everything we needed,” says Lieke.
The implementation required time and attention, as expected in a process involving thousands of students and hundreds of field partners. “In the beginning, it took some getting used to, especially for the professional field. That's why we updated all our manuals last year: by role, by user. That need was really there.”
Slowly but surely, OnStage became the permanent basis in the BPV process. “I have the feeling that everyone is really used to it now. People know how to find their way around, see more for themselves, and usage has become much more active.”
What Lieke particularly appreciates is the clarity of the system: “Everything is in one place. That gives peace of mind and makes it much easier to monitor the process.”
And the focus is also on the future: “I hope we can join the AI matching soon. There are so many opportunities to match students even better based on characteristics, travel distance, or additional support questions.”
The result: overview, quality, and an indispensable link in the process
Since the switch to OnStage, the pressure on the BPV office has decreased noticeably. “For our process, it's essential. If OnStage disappeared, our work would be a lot harder.”
Communication with the field is more transparent, administration has been streamlined, and students experience more clarity. “The system is structured and well-organized. For me, it fulfills everything we need.”
Even adoption has grown to a point where Lieke can hardly live without it: “I always call myself the most enthusiastic user at ROC Nijmegen,” she says with a laugh. “If someone decides we should use a different system... I'll go on strike!”
What started as a search for less error-prone work grew into a sustainable foundation for the entire Healthcare & Welfare internship process. “OnStage supports our process in a way you can't miss. I want other courses to experience this as well.”