Marente de Vries on working in the pension sector: 'Lifelong learning should be the focus'
This interview was originally written in Dutch. This is an English translation.
According to forecasts, the labour shortage in the Netherlands will continue for some time. The growth of the labour force will decline sharply in the coming decades due to an ageing population. Labour will remain scarce in the coming decades. DNB thus already called the labour squeeze in 2024 the ‘new normal’. What is the impact of the labour crunch on the asset management and pension sector? Are employers there struggling to attract and retain young talent? If so, what can they do about it? Financial Investigator spoke to young professional Marente de Vries, Pension Plan Management Advisor and seconded to Shell Pensioen Bureau Nederland, about her experiences.
What makes working in the pension sector appealing to you?
'I actually blundered into the Dutch pension sector (I needed a job). It was a great choice because the pension sector is incredibly dynamic and interdisciplinary. Pensions are political, social and personal. Although the Dutch workforce rarely thinks about their pension, the pension sector thinks about it for them. The basis for every pension fund is always the participant. Without participants there would be no pension fund, no political interest and – in my opinion – no stable society. This central role in our society intrigues me. It is fascinating to consider pension issues with colleagues who have extensive knowledge and expertise in the legal, communicative, financial and actuarial fields.
The Wtp is shaking up the pension world, and I see the sector innovating. Not in the basics, but in the how. How can we make pensions more understandable? What can we do to make pensions more relatable? And how can we invest in such a way that everyone benefits? Great questions to be working on every day.'
How can an employer be/remain attractive to young talent?
'The most important thing for me remains good working conditions that are also focused on knowledge development. Lifelong learning should be the norm in every organisation, without any fuss about counting study hours as office hours. Do you want to learn and grow? Great, let's make it happen! You know more and can do more, and so can we. With an employer like that, I am motivated to seize opportunities and look forward to going to work every day.'
