Personal
| Name: | Gerben van Erkelens |
| Address: | Zanddijk 27b |
| Postal Code: | 5364 PW |
| City: | Escharen |
| Date of birth: | 31-10-1984 |
| Email: | gerben@gerbendoesgraphics.com |
| Website: | www.gerbendoesgraphics.com |
| Sex: | Male |
| Drivers licence: | B (Dutch) |
| Nationality: | Dutch |
About me
I’m a creative visual designer in the broadest sense of the word. I like to keep things clean and simple. The design should fit the message being it in print, an animation or an user interface. I always deliver a tight product in close cooperation with all stakeholders.
Currently, at Vanderlande, I’m tasked with all visual design needs within the company for both on- and offline purposes. Another important part of my job is maintaining and evolving our visual brand identity by developing new style elements and guidelines.
Education
| Type: | Havo |
| Acquired on: | May 2002 |
| School: | Merlet College, Grave, The Netherlands |
| Remarks: | Culture and Society (Cultuur en Maatschappij) |
| Type: | MBO Multimedia Vormgeven (Multimedia design) |
| Acquired on: | July 2005 |
| School: | De Eindhovense School, Eindhoven, The Netherlands |
| Remarks: | Specialisation in visual design |
| Type: | Bachelor’s of Information and Communication Technology with merit (Communication and Multimedia design) |
| Acquired on: | February 2014 |
| School: | Hogeschool van Arnhem & Nijmegen |
| Remarks: | CMD-C variant (part-time). Graduation project: Optimising the graphical user interface (GUI) of an on-board computer |
| Type: | UX Certification |
| Acquired on: | November 2018 |
| School: | Nielsen Norman Group |
| UX Certification (UXC# 1025324) achieved on 7 November 2018 Verify certification Coursework Completed: Journey Mapping to Understand Customer Needs Omnichannel Journeys and Customer, Experience Persuasive Webdesign, Service Blueprinting, The Human Mind and Usability, UX Basic Training |
| Type: | Customer Experience & Journey Management |
| Acquired on: | Juni 2021 |
| School: | Beeckestijn Business School |
| Post-bachelor |
Experience
| Date: | August – December 2003 |
| Branche: | Webdesign |
| Company: | MACS Multimedia, Gemert, The Netherlands |
| Function: | Intern/Programmer |
| Description: | As an intern I worked on the Mambo content management system (now Joomla) and learned the basics of the PHP programming language, HTML and CSS. Besides that I also worked on the visual design of websites using Flash, 3DS Max and Photoshop. |
| Datum: | June – July 2005 |
| Branche: | Printing |
| Company: | AGI Media, Uden, The Netherlands |
| Function: | Cleaning printpresses |
| Description: | Charged as a part-time worker with cleaning the printpress in the weekends. |
| Datum: | January – Oktober 2004 |
| Branche: | IT |
| Company: | Quipment BV, Nijmegen, The Netherlands |
| Function: | Intern/Graphic designer |
| Description: | Responsible for all design work within the company. |
| Datum: | June 2005 – June 2014 |
| Branche: | IT |
| Company: | Quipment/Insigno Group BV, Nijmegen |
| Function: | Graphic designer |
| Description: | Responsible for all design work within the company. |
| Datum: | June 2014 – January 2015 |
| Branche: | IT |
| Company: | QTwee Nederland, Nijmegen, The Netherlands |
| Function: | Marketing employee |
| Description: | Responsible for all design work within the company. |
| Datum: | February 2015 – Current employer |
| Branche: | Engineering |
| Company: | Vanderlande, Veghel, The Netherlands |
| Function: | Visual Designer |
| Description: | Responsible for graphic design, visual production of print, web and animation. Guarding and evolving the corporate identity. |
Volunteer Experience
| Date: | September 2010 – February 2019 |
| Branche: | Google Helpforums/Help on Social |
| Function: | Google Top Contributor |
| Remarks: | Helping users of Google’s products with problems and challenges they encounter while working with the product. Basically for all products I use myself like Google Chrome, Gmail, Inbox, Search and Android. The Top Contributor Program is Google’s official recognition of their most knowledgeable and helpful online community members. As a Top Contributor, I am a trusted partner in educating and helping users, and fostering community engagement. |
References
As a Community Manager for Google, I’ve worked a lot with Gerben on various things. As a Top Contributor for Google, Gerben has shown an amazing passion for volunteering next to great troubleshooting and analytical skills. I appreciate and commend his way of communicating with people from a variety of backgrounds and in different situations. By supporting the community of massive Google products such as Gmail and Chrome he has had a positive effect on literally tens of thousands of people yearly, by answering their questions swiftly, friendly and correctly. Gerben excels at education users, but also providing critical thinking about process and product improvements. This has helped Google improve its products and platforms in both the short and long term. I would highly recommend anyone to work with Gerben.
Freek Vermeer (Community Manager for Google)
Gerben has an exceptional original and creative mindset, which shines through in his work as a graphic designer: an eye for beauty and the skills to make it happen. He possesses a loyal and disciplined mentality, working hard and not taking a rest before the goals are met. Considerate for the needs of the business and his colleagues he’s a valuable person to work with.
Jasper Zandvliet (Owner Zen.nl Zevenaar)
Gerben desinged a set of postal cards for us (IMC Weekendschool)pro bono. It came out very nicely! he was fast, flexible (even due to all small ammendments that had to be made), thought with us in a positive way and delivered good work. A nice designer to work with; thanks Gerben!
Kim van de Wetering (IMC Weekendschool)
Gerben in the team
Groupworker 25.71%
Stabile, extrovert, not dominating. Stimulates and supports the team members, promotes communication and team spirit. He integrates people and their activities, is socially attentive and can listen well. Suitable for a leading role: group workers have a strong lighting effect on teams.
Plant 20%
Dominant, very high intelligence, introverted. The man with the sudden ideas. ‘Implanted’ in quiet teams to generate creativity: he makes the new openings. A Plant evokes resistance because of a lack of practical sense and a critical attitude towards ‘stupidity’.
A company man 20%
Stable and controlled. A practical organizer, who converts decisions into concrete activities. Has a well-developed self-image and controls his feelings. Noest and disciplined but with flair in organising, especially under pressure or in confusing situations.
Chairman 17.14%
Stable, dominant, extrovert. The Chairman keeps the working method of the team under control and allows the strength of each team member to come into its own as well as possible. No extraordinary intelligence, nor any special creative gifts. However, calmness, realism and sobriety. Tolerance to listen to others, strong enough to ignore opinions.