Refugees into ICT jobs: unlocking hidden talent
In a region where tech and IT companies are desperate for talent, there are at the same time highly educated asylum seekers sitting at home with skills and ambition that are barely being utilised. The ‘Asylum Seekers to ICT Jobs’ project aims to bridge that gap through a robust programme that combines training, support and actual job placement. ‘It’s a shame to talk about shortages on the one hand and fail to utilise talent on the other,’ says Michiel Hameete of Apis Academy, who plays a central role in the programme as a trainer and mentor.
The programme is part of Talentroad, a collaboration between Apis Academy, Altijd de Sociale Kant and We are High Educated Refugee Employee (We’RHERE), a programme that has been working since 2018 to create new pathways into the tech and IT sectors. Two years ago, Michiel became involved in the IT Preparatory Course (VIT) and his remit was clear: to introduce greater structure and professionalism, and to ensure that participants are not only trained but actually secure jobs in the labour market.
Through this programme, he came into contact with Richard Kerste, Labour Market Programme Manager at Brainport Development. For Richard, the ‘Refugees to ICT Jobs’ initiative fitted perfectly with the regional talent agenda. ‘As a region, we face a massive shortage in engineering and IT. In our scaling-up agenda, we have identified a number of levers that can be pulled. One of these is increasing labour participation. How do you ensure that untapped talent actually ends up in this sector?’
Support from the Brainport Partnerfonds
According to him, higher-educated status holders form a group that currently sees relatively little targeted recruitment, particularly at higher levels. What convinced Richard was the comprehensive approach. ‘It’s not just about a course, but a complete pathway with a focus on language, support and placement. That fits exactly with what we need here.’ With financial support from the Brainport Partnerfonds, the project was able to get off the ground in Eindhoven. Richard considered the collaboration to be just as important. ‘The programme’s content is of high quality, and Apis, together with the project partners, handles it professionally. That inspired confidence. What’s more, we also establish links with relevant organisations in the region, such as the Work Centres and the UWV.’
The project
In October 2025, two groups commenced, comprising a total of 27 participants, mainly highly educated status holders from Turkey and Syria. Talentroad combines technical and professional skills. Participants possess basic IT knowledge, attend IT lessons three days a week, spend one day learning Dutch and devote one day to self-study. Motivation is a key criterion for admission. ‘Employers often say: I don’t really care if someone ticks all the boxes. If someone is motivated and has an affinity for the profession, we’ll take care of the rest,’ says Michiel.
In addition to the technical content, there is a strong focus on practical experience. Participants get a glimpse into companies and learn what is involved in applying for a job. How do you present yourself on LinkedIn? What do you convey through social media? How do you conduct a job interview? Michiel: ‘They are smart people, often with a solid educational background. But workplace culture, dealing with hierarchy and communication in the workplace can sometimes differ greatly from what they’re used to. If you don’t discuss that, things can go wrong. We prepare them for that.’ According to Richard, that practical preparation is a key factor. ‘The aim is to secure long-term placements with employers as a way of helping to address the shortage in the IT labour market. Participants receive dedicated support to achieve this, and that is what makes the difference. In this way, economic and social interests go hand in hand.’
Expat welcome, status holder faces cold feet
Every participant is assigned a buddy, and job coaches are closely involved in the process. This support continues into the initial period with an employer. ‘That job coach isn’t just there for the employee, but also for the company. Sometimes the greatest need for support actually lies with the employer. How do you deal with language differences? How do you give feedback? What can you expect from one another?’ According to Michiel, this is also necessary to dispel companies’ reservations. ‘We all say we need people. But we get the feeling that an expat is welcome, whereas the asylum seeker still carries a stigma. With this programme, we show that these candidates are well prepared, motivated and professionally supported. Large companies have extensive onboarding programmes; we are, in fact, doing the groundwork.’
Standing on their own two feet
The first groups will complete their six-month programme in April. This will be followed by a phase in which it becomes clear how many participants will progress to a job in the ICT sector. The ambition is to get 80 per cent of participants into work before the end of the calendar year. For Michiel, the bar is set higher than simply securing a first job. ‘Within eight years, we want participants to be back at the level they were at in their country of origin.’ For Brainport, it is just as important that this project becomes self-sustaining. ‘It must not be dependent on subsidies. If employers see the benefits, this could develop into a permanent recruitment channel within our regional talent strategy. If we call ourselves an innovative region, that also means we need to be innovative in how we manage talent,’ concludes Richard.
Interested employers or partners who would like to find out more about the programme or wish to join can register via this link.