‘The orientation programme gave me the knowledge and contacts I needed to choose the right course’
ICT or Mechatronics? For Tom de Rooij (18), this was the question he couldn’t answer after finishing his HAVO. It was clear that he wanted to do something technical. But technology is a broad field. When his parents came across Summa’s Technology and Engineering orientation programme online, Tom was immediately enthusiastic too. ‘I thought: maybe I’ll come across something I hadn’t seen before.’
The orientation programme offered Tom exactly what he needed: time and space to discover which direction he wanted to take. For six months, he attended various courses two days a week, ranging from Mechatronics and Electrical Engineering to ICT. One day a week was dedicated to personal development, and on Thursdays, company visits to major technical firms such as SPIE were on the schedule. ‘I really got a behind-the-scenes look. Along the way, I also obtained the certificates you need to be allowed to work at those different places in the first place, such as a VCA.’
Solving puzzles and building
For Tom, the mechatronics workshop at the Brainport Industry Campus stood head and shoulders above the rest. Positioning gears with millimetre precision, solving a puzzle. ‘At moments like that, you’re not in your head but working with your hands. That’s what I like about it. And you’re building something where you see immediate results. I just enjoy the challenge of making it work! I used to feel that way back when I was still playing with technical Lego.’
The logical fit
A conversation with ICT teacher Johan ultimately tipped the scales. ‘At its core, ICT is more theoretical and involves working independently behind a screen. I’d rather be working with my hands.’ On top of that, Tom noticed during the orientation programme at vocational college level that the core subjects came easily to him. He eventually opted for a higher professional education (HBO) course: Mechatronics at Fontys. ‘It’s a course that combines electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and ICT. It’s really interesting; you’re actually doing three courses at once. So I’ll have plenty of options later on.’
Tom recommends the programme to others, even if they’re heading for higher professional education. ‘You gain an insight into how things work in practice. Soon I’ll be producing drawings for the people who assemble the equipment, so it helps that I understand what they’re doing. The programme has given me the knowledge and contacts I needed to make the right choice of study. I’m really glad about that.’
A great result of the Beethoven project
Summa’s Engineering and Technology Orientation Programme helps young people who are still unsure about their choice of study to gain a targeted introduction to the breadth of engineering, so that they can choose their further education with greater confidence, whether at vocational or higher vocational level.
These activities are made possible in part by the National Microchip Talent Strengthening Plan. In the Brainport region, TU/e, Fontys, Summa, Ter AA Brainport Development and the covenant partners are joining forces with the government and the business community under the name Talent for Semicon. Together, we will train thousands of new people for the microchip industry by 2030. In this way, we are strengthening the international competitive position of the Netherlands and the Brainport region as a high-tech region.