Students were given the opportunity to talk with archaeologists and cultural heritage professionals, allowing them to explore career opportunities and better align their studies with the demands of the job market. The event acted as an internship and job fair as well, with many of the participating companies and institutions offering internships and entry-level positions.

The participation numbers speak for themselves: no fewer than 260 students registered for the activities, a number that could certainly be increased by including unregistered students who became involved spontaneously. 

The success of LANCE was due to its accessibility and excellent organisation. During the day, the main hall of the Van Steenis Building (which houses the Faculty of Archaeology) was set up as a job fair, with several stands scattered around the space. Although it was possible to sign up prior to the event, the extremely visible location of the fair played a vital role in attracting the students who were not aware of LANCE . These last-minute participants were drawn in and invited to take part after their classes, after just coming across the event in the main hall. 

LANCE started at 13:00 with the official opening of the internship and job fair, which continued until 15:30. The event was then followed by drinks and bites kindly offered by the faculty. This provided a friendly and relaxed environment for more casual interactions and networking between students and the participating partners. 

The participating companies and institutions were: ADC ArcheoProjecten, Archol, Faculty of Archeology (with faculty members presenting internship projects), Gemeente Zutphen Team Archeologie, Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut Rome (KNIR), RAAP, Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (RMO), Sweco, Transect B.V., Vriens Archeo Flex.

EXARC also took part in the event, with the objective of presenting the association to students and the other participating partners, to establish connections with professionals and practitioners, and, most importantly, to offer three internship opportunities within the Communications and Finance Department. 

The experience of the EXARC team, represented by Federico Cappadona (Communications Manager) and Laura Fernández-Pampillón Enguix (Finance Manager), was extremely positive and productive. The main focus was on the students, who expressed interest and curiosity about the association’s activities and the internships.

EXARC also had the opportunity to interact with other companies and organisations, exchanging experiences, knowledge, and perspectives, getting ideas for new potential projects and collaborations.

The EXARC team wishes to thank the event organisers and the Faculty of Archaeology for their excellent hospitality and for facilitating access for new generations of archaeologists to the professional world after graduation.