The 'Projectaanvraaganalyse MKB!dee is the first independent interim evaluation of the MKB!dee project applications. This evaluation mapped the background, geographic location and structure of the project consortia serving as a 'zero measurement' for future reference.
The MKB Actie Plan ('SME Action Plan') is a 4-year plan of the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate to ensure that Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME's) are able to benefit from the strong growth of the Dutch economy. It covers the topics of personnel, financing, regulations, innovation and digitalisation, fiscal context and international trade with a total budget of 200 million euro.
This handbook was created and translated by the Katapult network, one of the flagship initiatives of the Dutch national STEM platform focused on public-private partnerships in Vocational Education and Training. The network currently supports over 200 public-private partnerships involving over 10.000 companies.
In this era of digitalization, it is not surprising that we need more students and skilled workers in ICT. Collaboration between companies and schools is an important instrument to address those shortages, because we cannot solve this issue by ourselves. The big question is: how do you organise this? Some companies do not have much time or resources to spare, while others are looking for long term relations with the schools in their region. Luckily, there are many inspiring examples of collaboration between schools and ICT companies, ranging from internships and guest lectures, to retraining staff or contributions from compagnies to innovate the curriculum together with the schools.
NL Digital, the Dutch ICT branche organisation, Human Capital Agenda ICT (Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate) and Katapult collected these examples in a practical handbook for companies. With a handy decision tree you can determine in three steps how much time and resources you would like to commit, which issues you want to address and which concrete actions you can undertake. Based on the outcome of the decision tree, you get an overview of tips on how to collaborate with schools and inspiring examples of how other ICT companies and schools are already succesfully working together.
MKB!dee is an initiative of the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs to promote the development of experimental approaches for (and by) lifelong learning in small and medium sized enterprises. The programme is implemented by the Dutch national STEM platform (PTvT) in cooperation with the Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO) and provides support and funding (up to 200.000 per project) to SME's for the development of new approaches
Research has shown the importance of continuous investment in skills (lifelong learning). Small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) in the Netherlands tend to invest relatively little in lifelong learning. Research by the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs (EZK) has shown that the main obstacle to increased (structural) investment in the continuous development of employees is not a financial but practical. For example, smaller companies find it more difficult to free up personnel to participate in lifelong learning activities, but also find it more difficult to identify learning opportunities suitable to their specific company / sector.
The Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs responded to this challenge with the MKB!dee: A programme that supports SME’s in the development of lifelong learning activities that fit the needs of their specific company type, size and sector. The programme is funded by the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs and part of the broader MKB Actieplan ('SME Action Plan'). It is implemented by the Dutch national STEM platform supported by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) which monitors and evaluates the programme. Participating SME’s can apply for a total grant of max. 125.000 euro (individual SME’s) or 200.000 euro (multiple SME’s) for the development of new / experimental lifelong learning activities relevant for their company / sector. The main objective of the MKB!dee programme is twofold:
In addition to general quality criteria, project proposals submitted by SME’s are evaluated on the extent to which they contribute to pre-defined policy objectives of the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs. These include:
In 2019 the research firm SEO was tasked by the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate to carry out an independent evaluation of the first round of pilot applications. This evaluation mapped the background, geographic location and structure of the project consortia serving as a 'zero measurement' for future reference (see background documents). No further analysis of the structural impact of the programme on participating SME’s has been carried out yet. However, based on positive responses and growing demand the programme has been extended with a second application round in 2021.
During the first period of the programme (2018-2019) a total of 61 projects were funded. A further 10 million euro has been reserved for 50-70 additional projects to be funded in 2021. The programme also aims to identify and upscale successful projects after the funding period ends to further stimulate both demand and supply of successful Lifelong Learning approaches for SME’s.
The programme is fully funded by the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs (EZK). In the period of 2018-2020 a total of 61 projects were funded. Of the total programme budget, 27% is reserved for small SME’s (< 50 employees).
Individual SME’s participating can apply for a maximum grant of 125.000 euro per project. Project proposals involving more than one SME can apply for a maximum grant of 200.000 euro per project. No co-funding on the part of the SME is required. Successful applicants receive 90% of the total budget as a pre-financing payment (up front) and the remaining 10% after completion of the project.
MKB!dee is an initiative of the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs to promote the development of experimental approaches for (and by) lifelong learning in small and medium sized enterprises. The programme is implemented by the Dutch national STEM platform (PTvT) in cooperation with the Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO)
In the period of 2018-2020 a total of 61 projects were funded (200.000 euro per project) focused on developing new lifelong learning approaches in SME's. Of the total programme budget, 27% is reserved for small SME’s (< 50 employees).
The 'Highlights 2020' infographic shows the most important trends identified in the 2020 edition of the Technology Pact Monitor: the main monitoring instrument of the Dutch national STEM strategy (Technology Pact 2013-2020).
For more information and full description, indicators, links etc., please see the Technology Pact Monitor 2020 page.
The Jet-Net&TechNet (JNTN) programme is one of the flagship programmes of the Dutch national STEM Platform (PTvT). The programme is focused on increasing STEM uptake in primary and secondary education through school-company partnerships and covers the majority of Dutch primary and secondary schools and over 2000 companies. The programme also inspired 'spinoffs' in Denmark and the Basque country. For more information about the programme and its results, please see the full programme profile in the 'programmes' section.
In response to the COVID-19 measures the JNTN programme has developed online / remote formats of several of its key activities. These include the company tours, which now take place digitally utilising existing video materials developed by companies for new employees (available via the Ozone platform).
The popular webtool for matching company professionals and schools for guest lectures (GastlessenZoGeregeld) now supports teachers and schools with special challenges and assignments inspired by companies that teachers can use in remote learning activities.
Finally, the JNTN programme makes extensive use of webinars. These include a webinar on the 'BètaTechMentality'-model for teachers and other stakeholders which explains how students can be triggered by STEM in various ways. This special course is now also available in webinar format and has seen a strong uptick in popularity since the COVID-19 measures were imposed. The BètaTechMentality model is based on periodic research by the Dutch national STEM platform and is available in English and Dutch (see the publication pages for a full description).
Katapult is one of the flagship programmes of the Dutch National STEM platform (PTvT). The programme functions as a national support network for a wide range of public-private partnerships in VET and higher education. The network includes virtually all VET providers in the Netherlands and over 10.000 companies that collectively contribute more over 1/3 of the total budget (ca. 360 million). The majority of public-private partnerships in VET are currently co-funded from the 120 million Dutch 'Regional Investment Fund VET' (RIF) and supported through each phase (application, implementation, upscaling and sustainability) by the Katapult-network (for more info about Katapult, see the full programme description or visit the Katapult website (English and Dutch only).
The Katapult-model for public-private partnerships co-funded by government recently launched the Katapult.eu toolkit, in which the most-used Katapult tools and activities have been translated and made freely available. These tools are currently being used by international partners including in the EU-funded 'Centres of Vociational Excellence'-project for water technology (CoVE Water). The website also includes a wide range of resources ranging from independent impact studies and network mappings to (English subtitled) video documentaries on the functioning of individual public-private partnerships in the Netherlands in a wide range of sectors. For more information, please visit the Katapult.eu website via the link above.
On the request of the Swedish Teknikcollege organisation, the Norwegian National Centre for Science Recruitment and the Government of the Basque country a two-day Taskforce Meeting (TM) has been planned for November of this year. The objective of the meeting is to showcase the various aspects of the Dutch-Danish 'Jet-Net'-model for school-company cooperation. The TM will include various presentations / visits by / to the national bureau (Dutch national STEM platform), regional programme coordinators, a leading Jet-Net company (Siemens) and the Dutch ministry of Education (which co-funds the programme). More information on the programme will follow soon.
The Jet-Net&TechNet programme (JNTN) is one of the flagship programmes of the Dutch National STEM platform (PTvT). The programme is focused on increasing STEM uptake in secondary education through one-on-one partnerships between schools and companies. This document provides an overview of activities (including practical case studies) of common JNTN activities.
