Shape policy from the Netherlands

Governments spend a large share of every economy's money and write the rules everyone else follows. A policy that moves a budget a few percent towards something that works, or prevents a costly mistake, can matter more than almost anything an individual could do alone. That's why 80,000 Hours counts government and policy among the main ways to have an impact.

Some Dutch examples

The Urgenda climate case

A foundation took the Dutch state to court, and the Supreme Court ordered it to cut emissions faster.

The Declaration on Future Generations

The Netherlands co-led the UN negotiations on the declaration, adopted in 2024.

Control of frontier AI

In 2026 the Netherlands signed the Finnish and Norwegian call for control of frontier AI models.

Policy isn't only government work. Think tanks, advocacy groups, regulators and people starting new initiatives all shape it. Politics can also be unpredictable: progress is rarely linear, and luck and timing matter. That's frustrating, but it also means windows of opportunity open for people who are ready.

Where the Netherlands fits

Brussels makes the rules, The Hague shapes them

More and more regulation comes from the EU. But the Dutch position in Brussels is drafted at the ministries in The Hague, and national governments fill in much of the detail. The EU AI Act, for example, is enforced in each country by national regulators.

An open system

Dutch universities are broadly comparable, so where you studied matters less than in the UK or US. And the civil service hires many graduates through well-regarded traineeships.

A middle power

The Netherlands can do more internationally than its size suggests, especially by working with like-minded countries. Our AI safety guide makes this case for AI.

This guide is mainly for people early in their careers. For the basics of choosing a path and testing your fit, start with our career guide.

Test your fit

You learn more by trying than by thinking. Some cheap tests:

• Watch a committee debate in the Tweede Kamer.
• Read a parliamentary paper on a topic you care about and write a one-page response.
• Join a political party and get involved in a working group on its programme.
• Ask a civil servant or policy adviser for a 20-minute call about what their work is really like.

Signs that policy suits you: you enjoy reading and writing a lot, you're comfortable with people and politics, and you can stay motivated when results take years.

What to study

There's no one way into policy. Policymakers come from many backgrounds, some broad and some specialist. When choosing a degree, ask yourself:

• What skills will it give me?
• Which organisations do people with this degree end up at, and what could I do there?
• What excites me enough to go the extra mile, with extra courses or side projects?

A broad degree keeps your options open. A liberal arts and sciences bachelor's at a university college is one option. You could then specialise with a master's such as Public Administration at Leiden or International Relations at the University of Amsterdam.

A specialist degree works too. Econometrics, for example, gives you data skills that are in demand across government and can give you a head start in technical policy work. A financial bachelor's plus a minor or master's in public administration sets you up well for the economists' traineeship.

Your degree matters less than you might think. Most of what you'll learn comes from the job itself.

While you study, try things: join a student association board, take on a side project, or become active in a political party.

In the Netherlands

Central strategy units

Large ministries have strategic directorates that work across policy areas, such as General Economic Policy (AEP) at Economic Affairs and General Financial and Economic Policy (AFEP) at Finance. They're good for career capital and for influence.

Ministries

Pick the one closest to the problem you care about (see part 2). Skills learned in one ministry carry over to others.

Planning bureaus

The CPB (economic policy), PBL (environment) and SCP (social and cultural policy) analyse policy options for government.

Advisory councils

The WRR, the AWTI (science, technology and innovation) and the Rli (environment and infrastructure) advise government on long-term questions.

Research and semi-public organisations

TNO, the Rathenau Instituut, ZonMw, FMO, and the EU's Joint Research Centre in Petten.

Our jobs board lists roles at Dutch ministries, regulators and other institutions where you could have leverage.

When you look at a role, ask

• Is it political, like advising an MP, or mostly about carrying out decisions already made?
• Do you want to own a particular subject?
• Will it build career capital, or let you have an impact right away?

Brussels and beyond

The EU makes many of the rules that matter most, from AI to animal welfare, so a Dutch government job can be a good step towards Brussels later.

EU institutions

The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council. Permanent jobs at the Commission usually go through EU Careers competitions, which for graduates open only every few years. The Blue Book traineeship and contract posts are other ways in.

The Dutch Permanent Representation

The Netherlands' mission to the EU in Brussels, which negotiates on its behalf.

Advocacy organisations and think tanks

Such as Eurogroup for Animals, GFI Europe and the Future of Life Institute, which works on the AI Act.