Dutch opinion leader & garbage collector
Quin Blokzijl is a Dutch opinion leader. Blokzijl has become a prominent voice in public debate and has sparked and deepened the discussion in the Netherlands about “diploma democracy,” meaning the recognition and representation of people with practical education.
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Quin Blokzijl is a Dutch opinion leader. Blokzijl grew up in Schagen with his single mother, who worked as a vocational trained nurse. After completing his pre-vocational secondary education, he obtained his diploma in Media and Editing (EQF level 4) at the ROC of Amsterdam.
From 2021 to 2022, Blokzijl was elected chairman of the Youth Organization for Vocational Education and Training (JOB MBO), where he represented all the VET students. He subsequently developed into an opinion maker, publishing articles in national quality newspapers.
In 2024, he completed an undercover internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The selection process was strictly reserved for candidates from higher education. He bypassed this by temporarily enrolling at a university of applied sciences, only to deregister again immediately after taking up employment.
In 2025, Blokzijl made history as the first trainee without University in the European Parliament. He met President Roberta Metsola. His arrival caused a “mini-revolution” after confusion arose in Brussels over the fact that he did not have a university background.
Degree requirements are presented as objective, but that is not the case.
In that same year, he was featured on the cover of EW Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30 list for his work in bridging the gap between “lower” and “higher” educated individuals.
Following his time in Brussels, he chose to work as a garbage collector. In 2026, LinkedIn recognized him as a ‘Top Voice’ for the working class.
Blokzijl has become a prominent voice in public debate, sparking and deepening the discussion in the Netherlands regarding ‘diploma democracy’ and the appreciation and representation of the working class.
Quin Blokzijl landed an undercover internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague through a clever ruse. Because the ministry is practically forbidden territory for the “lower-educated,” he used a Trojan horse: he passed himself off as “highly educated” by temporarily enrolling at a university of applied sciences. Once inside, he signed his contract and immediately deregistered. He uncovered major secrets, and after his cover was blown, diplomats were left in utter confusion – forced to confront their own biases.
Quin Blokzijl sparked a ‘revolution’ when he entered the ivory towers of Brussels, becoming the first first trainee without University in the European Parliament. In a world almost completely sealed off from anyone who isn’t “highly educated,” Quin confronted the establishment in the capital of Europe. It sent a shockwave of confusion through the ranks: Harvard and Oxford alumni asked if he was part of the catering staff. Ultimately, he was granted an audience with President Roberta Metsola in Strasbourg to mark his historic milestone.
Quin Blokzijl had long been fed up with his desk job. He asked an AI language model what kind of work was out there in the fresh air that looked absolutely nothing like the European Parliament. Not much later, he traded Brussels for a garbage truck. He applied in an Amsterdam canteen plastered with Ajax posters and pin-ups, where his new colleagues asked him if he used to work at Europa-Park (the theme park). On the garbage truck, Quin discovered, to his own surprise,more intelligence and life experience than among his “highly educated” and wealthy former colleagues. Amidst the trash bags, he found not only the craziest stories and people, but also something he never found in the office: everlasting career bliss.
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