Shortage of technicians is growing despite the success of the Technology Pact

PRESS RELEASE   Since 2013, the number of young people choosing a technical profile or study has been steadily increasing. Achieving the set goals of the Technology Pact with regard to the inflow is therefore within sight. There are also some positive developments on the technical labour market: unemployment among technicians has decreased and more graduates with a technical education are choosing a technical job. On behalf of the cabinet, Minister Bussemaker of Education, Culture and Science received the progress report and monitor of the National Technology Pact 2020 today during the Annual Conference. The largest increase in choosing technology is visible in the vmbo gl/tl courses. Where the share of science and technology graduates was at a low point at the start of the government policy (vmbo-gl 34% and vmbo-tl 36% academic year 2012-2013), we now see a clear increase in the share of science and technology graduates: vmbo-gl 40% and vmbo-tl 41% (academic year 2015-2016). In the mbo, the share of mbo students in science and technology has increased since 2013 from 29% to 32%; the largest increase can be seen at level 3: 18% (2013-2104) to 29% (2016-2017). In higher education, the share of students entering a science and technology HBO study increased from 21% in the 2013-2014 academic year to 25% in 2016-2017. In science and technology university studies, the share of students entering in the 2016-2017 academic year was 36% compared to 34% in 2013-2014. The inflow of students into vmbo-bb and vmbo-kb remains a point of attention. Compared to 10 years ago, we still see a downward trend here. Regionally, the parties involved are discussing the possibilities for maintaining vmbo technology education. Together they are investigating new developments that fit the regional context. The focus is on improving the image of the professions in technology from the business community and offering different personalized learning styles to the students. Increasing shortage of skilled workers Due to the improving economy, we see that the need for well-trained professionals is increasing again, especially in construction, installation technology and metal. There is also still a major shortage of well-trained technical teachers in education. It is expected that, due to the growing role of technology in other sectors such as healthcare, the demand for technicians will increase even further in the coming years. The inflow into beta technical education does not yet provide a suitable answer to the demand. Despite the fact that more men with a technical education actually started working in a technical profession this year (57% in 2016 compared to 52% in 2013), a third of technically trained men and 64% of female technicians still opt for a non-technical profession. Low unemployment among technicians Unemployment among technicians has decreased significantly in the past year (2016 - source UWV): from 6.3% in 2015 to 5.1% in 2016. This is lower than the average unemployment rate of 5.4%. The UWV expects that the shortage in technology and ICT will continue in the coming years. Through regional and sectoral cooperation, partners of the Technology Pact are committed to tackling this shortage via, among other things, Service Points Technology to guide people back to work and from work to work through retraining and further training. Regional cooperation The integrated approach of the Technology Pact has created a 'mechanism' of regional cooperation. Regionally, sectorally and nationally, education, business and governments are increasingly finding each other; for example, there are now 149 public-private partnerships in vocational education (mbo and hbo). At present, 100 large companies and 3,300 SMEs are working together with 700 primary schools, 180 havo/vwo schools and 280 vmbo schools to focus more on technology in primary education. And the technical O&O funds support employees in technology in acquiring and developing skills that the changing labour market demands.   Note to editors For questions about the Technology Pact or to request a press photo, please contact Erica Wortel, e.wortel@deltapunt.nl or 06-21165822. For questions to the ministers involved, please contact the spokespersons:

• Minister Kamp: Michiel Bakhuizen, 06–11376128, wmbakhuizen@minez.nl
• Minister Bussemaker: Michiel Hendrikx, 06-31749227, mghendrikx@minocw.nl
• Minister Asscher: Friso Fennema, 06-11585287, ffennema@minszw.nl
• State Secretary Dekker: Ilona de Ruijter, 06-53252614, inderuijter@minocw.nl

This year, the Monitor is being offered for the first time in a digital and interactive environment. Via the website www.techniekpactmonitor.nl you will find the figures at national and regional level and you can get started yourself by using the filters that are important to you. You can then save the graphs as an image (JPEG/PNG) or PDF, download them as a CSV file or print them. The requested data can be published with source reference.  About the National Technology Pact 2020 The National Technology Pact 2020 is a collaboration between education, industry and government. Its aim is to reduce the shortage of qualified technical personnel by improving the quality of technical education and getting more young people interested in technology. The Technology Pact contains 12 goals that have been jointly agreed upon by industry, education and government. The implementation of the Technology Pact takes place within the five regions, and the regions within them, on the basis of one or more regional Technology Pact agendas. Each region has a different dynamic and labour market issues. The aim of the Technology Pact is for the implementation to be in line with the ambitions of the region. This is the only way to optimally organise the connection between education and the regional labour market and to retain sufficient employment within the technical sector. www.techniekpact.nl