The working visit focused on the recently published LBSP Human Capital Agenda ‘No growth without talent’ and the question of how the public-private partnership CIV Bio Sciences can contribute to this. The CIV Bio Sciences focuses on talent development and innovation of bio sciences vocational education at the LBSP. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science recently awarded a so-called RIF subsidy to strengthen the connection between vocational education and the business community.
The working visit started at the Secondary Laboratory Education (MLO) of mboRijnland, located at the Hogeschool Leiden. Karreman and her colleagues spoke with the organisations affiliated with CIV Bio Sciences and attended a first-year practical lesson in chemistry and biology. The second part of the working visit took place at Janssen Nederland, including a tour of a laboratory and an explanation of the collaboration between the company and secondary vocational education. Janssen is one of the initiators and partners of CIV Bio Sciences, because it attaches great value to the training of new talent in the Life Science and Health sector.
Flywheel
Henrike Karreman, Director of Secondary Vocational Education at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science: “I am impressed by how the collaborating parties at the LBSP want to join forces to meet the future demand for employees with MBO and HBO qualifications in particular. The award of the MBO RIF subsidy can be a flywheel to develop innovative and flexible teaching methods and to boost the collaboration between educational institutions and companies. It is good to see that there is so much enthusiasm among the parties supporting the RIF application. I wish them all the best of luck.”
Otto Jelsma, chairman of CIV Bio Sciences and chairman of the board of mboRijnland: “It was an honour to receive Henrike Karreman at the LBSP and to discuss opportunities and challenges with each other. The demand for qualified MBO personnel at the LBSP will increase by almost 50% in the coming years. Reason to consider the question of how we can obtain sufficient supply and train qualified MBO students to meet the labour market demand.”
Ida Haisma, director of the LBSP Foundation, is also pleased with the visit from OCW and the discussion that took place: “It is good to be able to bring the recent report ‘No Growth Without Talent’ to the attention of the ministry. This report clearly shows that government, entrepreneurs and educational institutions must and can work together more intensively at local, regional, national and international level in order to be able to realise the great demand for talent, particularly at the MBO level. It is great that OCW found our LBSP approach inspiring and a good example of a ‘best practice’ for the rest of the Netherlands. The efforts of large and small companies and educational institutions at the LBSP prove that it is possible to continue to guarantee growth for the LBSP in the coming years.”
Attracting talent and flexible education
Research among 45 organizations on the LBSP, educational institutions, companies and governments, shows that 30,000 employees will be needed in 2027, while 20,000 people are currently employed. A significant increase, while the inflow into vocational education is decreasing and the choice for science and technology is low. The biggest challenge is therefore to attract (future) employees. The knowledge partners can then provide suitable education. It is expected that a new demand will arise for work-based learning (BBL education) and for flexible, modular and personalized education. The Human Capital Agenda ‘No growth without talent’, commissioned by the Leiden University of Applied Sciences and the LBSP Foundation, describes the challenges and possible solutions.
From challenge to solution
The CIV Bio Sciences uses the recently acquired RIF subsidy to help implement the recommendations from the Human Capital Agenda LBSP. In the lively exchange of ideas with Karreman and colleagues, the necessary dilemmas and potential solutions were reviewed, which will be further addressed. Think of the promotion of science and technology or the sharing of facilities for educational purposes.
About CIV Bio Sciences
At the end of 2020, mboRijnland, Stichting LBSP, the Municipality of Leiden and Janssen Biologics took the initiative for the CIV Bio Sciences. The public-private partnership aims to properly connect the bio sciences field and vocational education at the Leiden Bio Science Park, so that sufficient up-to-date professionals are trained. The initiative is widely supported and consists of mboRijnland, Leiden University of Applied Sciences, ROC Midden Nederland, Techniek College Rotterdam, Leidse Instrumentmakers School, Janssen Biologics, BaseClear, Mimetas, Avery Dennison, CellPoint, Bristol Meyers Squibb, Eurofins PROXY Laboratories, Hal Allergy Group/ HALIX, Naturalis, Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland, Leiden University Medical Center, BioPartner Leiden, Technolab, Biotech Training Facility, Consortium Vocational Education, Randstad Nederland, Stichting LBSP, Ondernemersvereniging Bio Science Park, Vereniging Innovatieve Geneesmiddelen, the Municipality of Leiden and the Holland Rijnland Region.
Photo: Janssen Netherlands
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