Maarten Tielens studied Sociology of Work and Organisation and completed with a complementary study in Business Economics, both at the Catholic University of Leuven (K.U.Leuven). In 1999 he started his career at the Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding (Flemish Service for Employment and Vocational Training) as a consultant in organisational training policy (European Social Fund – objective 4). In 2001 he joined the Steunpunt Werkgelegenheid, Arbeid en Vorming (Resource Center for Labour Market Research, K.U.Leuven).