Social Life at SkillLab: Our Company Retreats and Events

SkillLab empowers employment & career services with technology that creates equitable labor markets through the universal language of skills. Our mission is to empower people to turn their skills into careers and connect them with jobs and education all over the world. We build cutting-edge skills technology leveraging the power of AI in order to create positive social change. 

We believe that a strong, supportive community is essential to our success. We actively cultivate this community through a variety of social events, most notably our SkillLab retreats and Company Days. These events are a vital part of what makes SkillLab such a special place to work. 

You might be wondering what these events are all about and why they are so special to SkillLabers. Let us give you a sneak peek into what fun and social life at SkillLab is like!

SkillLab retreats: Exploring, bonding, and recharging

Twice a year, we escape our office in Amsterdam and explore scenic locations, usually somewhere in the Netherlands or Belgium. Think places like Texel in the Netherlands, or Brugge and Dinant in Belgium – you get the idea!

The SkillLab retreats aren't the typical corporate getaways. Each retreat has a different agenda based on the company needs and priorities. For example, when the company grew significantly in size, retreats focused on fostering deeper connections among the newly hired and the older in tenure SkillLabers. 

The retreats are opportunities to get to know each other, learn our colleagues better beyond their professional role and make us realise how grateful we are to work with such amazing and cool individuals.  

Over 2-3 days, we dive into a mix of fun cultural and company-related activities. We celebrate our wins and work on improving our teamwork. Think workshops on diverse topics like strategy, collaboration, tackling unconscious bias, product vision or intercultural communication.

 Of course, no SkillLab retreat would be complete without plenty of opportunities for socializing and team bonding!  Whether it's sharing a meal, exploring a new town, dancing a cultural dance, participating in SkillLab fun competitions or simply chatting and partying together, these retreats create lasting memories and strengthen the bonds that tie the SkillLab community together!  

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words! Check this out!

Company days: Aligning, celebrating, and connecting

Besides our longer retreats, we also hold day-long Company Days twice a year – one in December ( Christmas party vibes!) and another in June, when Amsterdam wears its sunny and warm smile!

We usually use Company Days to share updates and talk strategy. But they're also a fantastic opportunity for all of us to get together, hang out, and remind ourselves of the big picture. 

We're big believers in open communication and transparency, and these events are perfect for that. We get to meet people from all across SkillLab, hear what's going on, and just generally feel more connected to the community. 

And, of course, we always make sure there's plenty of time for fun, socializing and food! Especially food! Our team is culturally diverse and we get the opportunity with every event to try different cuisines - Lebanese, Brazilian, Indonesian, Italian, Greek, Indian, Surinamese…….

Office fun: Big and small events

We're not just about big retreats and Company Days, though! We also love celebrating the little things and making SkillLab a fun place to work. Besides the usual after-work drinks, we put together all sorts of events throughout the year.:We have celebrated festive stuff like Secret Santa and Christmas tree decorating, but also cultural celebrations like Eid – we love that our team is so diverse! 

We also take well-being seriously, so we've got things like self-care days, back & neck massages, and even face masks. And if you're feeling creative, we've been known to do things like mug painting and Carnival celebrations. Basically, there's always something going on!

Our SkillLab retreats, Company Days, and these smaller office events are integral to the SkillLab experience! They represent our commitment to fostering a strong and vibrant community, where everyone feels connected, supported, and valued. They're opportunities to build relationships, create memories, and reinforce the bonds that make SkillLab such a unique and rewarding place to work. 

Want to join our community? Check our open positions.