In some regions, threatening entire engineering departments of schools to disappear. This is expected as the decline of students in technology education does not halt. Employers fear for the future of technical VMBO. Why they are today in The Hague, the bell went.
In a petition that employers united in VNO-NCV SMEs and the Netherlands, together with the foundation platforms VMBO offered to the House, the political action required to.
It’s a balancing act. Companies are desperate for technical personnel while fewer and fewer students going into the technical VMBO. Since 2004, the number of school pupils with an average of 30 percent. Reason lies mainly in the image problem that the engineering and technical training wrestle.
Continuing shortage
If nothing happens, creating a permanent shortage of engineers, according to the petition. In 2014 would involve over 38,000 technical vmbo students and more than 23,000 technical mbo.
Employers argue that there are more students and parents are encouraged to opt for engineering. They also propose a new ‘mixed’ for education, including secondary school techno.
Extra effort
Education minister Marja van Bijsterveldt shares the concern about the declining inflow and consult with fellow ministers and the business of “extra effort”. “Sufficient technically trained people are essential to a healthy economy,” said the minister at the receipt of the petition.