Jorien Oprins is a PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam and affiliated with the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR). She completed the Research Master in International Development in 2016. For her master thesis, she did research on the developmental potential of digital labour platforms like Upwork and Freelancer. With her PhD on the labour market strategies and agency of freelancers working through digital labour platforms, she builds on this research. She focuses on: 
1.   freelancers’ occupational choices
2.   freelancers’ learning efforts 
3.   how freelancers leverage their occupational choices and learning efforts to strengthen their competitive position on digital labour platforms.

Her PhD research is set in the Philippines.  

Next to her research at the University of Amsterdam, Jorien works as an economics teacher at Joke Smit College, a public school for “voortgezet algemeen volwassenonderwijs” (vavo) in Amsterdam.

Research expertise and fields

• Digital labour platforms
• Future of work
• Lifelong learning

Research methods

• In-depth interviews
• Longitudinal research design
• Focus group

Research grants & honours

Promotiebeurs voor leraren (2020, NWO)