National microchip programme to boost talent
The National Microchip Talent Strengthening Plan is part of the Beethoven Covenant. The semi-conductor sector in the Netherlands will require 38,000 people in the coming years to maintain and strengthen its position. The reinforcement plan describes the approach to meeting this demand. It focuses on all levels of education (secondary vocational, higher professional and university education) and retraining and further training through lifelong learning. The cabinet is encouraging the approach by promoting cooperation between various regions in the Netherlands, such as Twente, Groningen, Delft and Brainport Eindhoven. Approximately 70 percent of the total demand for labour is in the Brainport region. To work on this over the next five years, the cabinet has reserved 275 million euros of the total available resources for the plans in Brainport.
The National Microchip Talent Strengthening Plan is a joint effort by the government, the Brainport region and other regions involved to address the shortage of technical talent in the Dutch semiconductor industry. This shortage is being addressed through investments in education, retraining and international cooperation. The main goals are to increase the intake in technical programmes, retain talent, increase labour productivity and attract international talent. Educational institutions such as the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Fontys, Ter AA and Summa College work closely with industry to increase the supply of graduates and trained professionals.
Three lines of action
The plan focuses on three lines of action: (1) expansion and increased flexibility of technical education, with new semi-com programmes and hybrid learning environments, (2) increasing enrolment and progression, including through better alignment between educational levels and recruitment campaigns, and (3) establishment of the Brainport Academy for retraining and further training of 19,410 additional professionals. In addition, international partnerships will be strengthened with institutes such as IMEC (Belgium), RWTH Aachen (Germany) and KULeuven. The commitment to talent development will be supported by investments in housing, infrastructure and labour migration policy. The strengthening plan should ensure that the Netherlands maintains its strong position in the European chip industry and that the sector can continue to grow structurally.
Press release, documents and appendices
Press release:National Strengthening Plan Microchip Talent to the House of Representatives
Documents and appendices:
