Major subsidy kicks off vocational education in North-Netherlands to prepare 3,400 craftsmen for the energy transition

Groningen –This week a major, 2 million Euro state subsidy was acknowledged for the Energy College-project, kicking off the education programme leading up to enter 3,400 professionals on vocational level anticipating on the market adapting to the energy transition in the Northern Region.  Energy College is part of New Energy Coalition and is a collaboration of 8 regional colleges, provincial governments, businesses and industry in the North Netherlands region.

With the award of a RIF grant of 2 million euros, Northern Netherlands can get to work. The honoring of the project application was announced today. The Energy College project will train 3,400 professionals over the next four years who can get to work in the Northern Netherlands in the transition from fossil to renewable energy. This is a joint project of northern mbo’s, companies, provinces and municipalities. With this project, they are responding to the closing of the Groningen gas tap in 2030 and the increasing demand for sustainable energy supply and the region can remain a leader in the field of energy.

The transition to a sustainable energy supply requires different and also new knowledge and skills. The Energy College project is therefore committed to developing an educational offering that provides room to follow the continuous changes in the business world and to include current (technological) developments in education. In addition, many new professionals are needed in engineering to realize this transition. Therefore, efforts are being made to recruit students for technical courses. Furthermore, new target groups will also be addressed to prepare themselves for working in energy-related professions through retraining and further education.

Results
After four years, the project should have resulted in a sustained, equal influx of students into engineering programs in the Northern Netherlands despite the expected demographic contraction. In addition, it will improve the knowledge and skills of 2,400 students and 1,000 current employees in the field of energy transition and sustainable alternatives. Also, from the project, over 300 teachers and practical trainers will professionalize in the field of energy transition and sustainable alternatives.

Broad collaboration
The Energy College project is an initiative of Energy College and New Energy Coalition in a collaboration with 45 regional companies. In addition, Hanzehogeschool Groningen, the provinces of Drenthe, Groningen and Friesland and municipalities of Emmen, Groningen, Assen and Leeuwarden are supporting the project. A grant contribution was applied for from the Regional Investment Fund (RIF), which application was honored and granted today.

About Energy College
Energy College is a partnership between the northern ROCs and AOCs Drenthe College, Noorderpoort, Alfa-college, ROC Friese Poort, Friesland College, Terra MBO and Nordwin College, governments and industry. It is a Northern Dutch initiative to provide the fast-growing energy industry in the region with innovative skilled workers at MBO level. These people will be trained according to the wishes and needs of the market.

Read more about Energy College here.