Work in progress - Reskilling in Brainport
Pioneers have their say
The Brainport region is developing at lightning speed. This creates opportunities, but also challenges. At Brainport Development, we work every day to advance our region, both economically and socially. We do this by connecting parties, by exchanging knowledge and by lobbying The Hague and Brussels.In this section, employees explain how they contribute to achieving this. In this episode: Richard Kerste, senior project manager Labour Market.
'One condition for success in the Brainport region is that we have enough talent available. This will remain one of the biggest challenges in the coming years. In technology and IT alone, we will need around 50,000 extra people within the next ten years. At the same time, there are also many people on the sidelines of the labour market. In other words, untapped talent. These two aspects – the economic and the social side – come together in much of my work.
Take, for example, Reskilling in Brainport. In this project, employers, educators, labour market partners, municipalities and Brainport Development jointly contribute to strengthening lateral entry into shortage occupations. Untapped talent is given an opportunity to start working at a tech or IT company as a lateral entrant. Thanks to the project, more than 200 people have already found a new job. As an employer, this requires an investment on your part, but it also yields great returns: very loyal and motivated employees with a fresh perspective.
As senior labour market project manager, I identify these types of issues, drive them forward and bring parties together. When I see a project get off the ground, the enthusiasm of the parties involved grow and support and drive develop, it gives me a lot of energy and satisfaction. It is moments like these that make my work so rewarding.
So my work focuses on economic issues with a social touch in the region. Collaboration is crucial to solving these issues. With governments, knowledge and educational institutions, the business community and labour market partners. I see cooperation as the strength of our Brainport region. We recently did this in the Brainport Inclusive Tech Work-Learning Line pilot project. Job seekers are placed in newly created technical positions at technology companies through Ergon. In this way, employers contribute to an inclusive labour market and bring in new talent.
All of this requires a different view of work. My dream for the future is therefore that there will be a collective mind shift. The ‘five-legged sheep’ are scarce and therefore increasingly difficult to find. That is why it is important to look at talent differently. This does require something of employers, especially when the workload is already high due to the labour market shortage. I understand that this is difficult. Support for employers is widely available in the region. That is why we at Brainport Development are here for you. Feel free to contact me: r.kerste@brainportdevelopment.nl
