Netherlands

Young people think about technology in very different ways. The Bèta&TechMentality (BTM) model distinguishes between five types of young people, each of whom we can interest in technology in different ways through education and information. All kinds of factors play a role in this. For example: to what extent are young people already interested in new technology and confident about technological progress? Do young people have the idea that they can take on science and technology and can they improve their skills in this area? In this white paper, we describe the five types in turn and how they can be inspired by education and communication. You can imagine, for example, that "Creative Makers" and "Social Implementers" (two motivation types) find different things appealing in education. The BTM model is based on research among 9 to 17-year-olds from primary education to secondary education (VMBO, HAVO and VWO) in the Netherlands. The research consisted of two phases:

• Qualitative research: 30 exploratory paired interviews with a total of 60 children and young people, carried out by Youngworks. In it, we explored the motives and barriers that determine how young people experience technology. The insights from the qualitative research phase were translated into value propositions about their motives and attitudes toward technology.

• Quantitative research & segmentation: 1,472 children and young people then filled out a questionnaire. Based on their reactions to value propositions and a factor analysis, we determined the seven underlying dimensions of the model. And based on a cluster analysis, we identified five segments. This phase was carried out by Motivaction.

The five Bèta&TechMentality types all score differently on these seven dimensions:

1. Self-confidence in science and technology
2. Confidence in technological progress
3. Interest in new technology
4. Appreciation and respect
5. Social commitment
6. Technology can be learned
7. Practical orientation

For a summary of the key outcomes and student types, please see the white paper via the link below. An translated version of the full 40 page report is also available.

The 'Katapult'-programme is one of the flagship initiatives of the Dutch national STEM platform. The programme is focused on developing and supporting sector-based public-private partnerships in VET and Higher Education. Currently, upwards of 7500 companies are directly involved in hundreds of public-private partnerships co-funded by government and industry with a total budget of nearly 200 million euro.

This translation of the impact report, ‘Impact and Added Value’, comes from Katapult, in collaboration with the Talent for Technology Platform (PTvT) in the Netherlands. The figures in this publication are based on a survey conducted in the spring of 2019 among 191 partnerships and the network chart, with more than 300 partnerships and their partners.

More people are considering switching careers to become teachers, according to a study carried out by an educational foundation. Around 40 per cent of working people interviewed said they were interested in teaching, though many said they did not want to teach full-time or for the rest of their careers.

The study was carried out by research agency Motivaction on behalf of Stichting Platform Bèta Techniek (PBT), an organisation set up to address the shortage of skilled teachers in science subjects such as chemistry and biology. Secondary schools are also struggling to recruit teachers for foreign languages, NOS reported.

Potential teachers said they valued the chance to help children and young people get the most out of their abilities. However, many were put off by the lack of opportunities the profession offered for personal development.

A spokesman for PBT said teachers needed to be challenged more throughout their careers and not expected to teach the same material year after year. ‘If we don’t want people to drop out of education after a while, something needs to be done. We need to have an overhaul of how we think about education; it has to become much more flexible.’
 

More and more young people are choosing to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (‘STEM’) both at secondary school and in higher education. As a result, the Netherlands has managed to catch up somewhat with the rest of Europe in recent years. That’s certainly a welcome development, as talented and highly educated science and technology experts have a role to play in devising sustainable solutions in the fields of energy, climate change, health and welfare, population ageing and the ever-increasing desire for mobility. However, our knowledge-driven society demands even more. The economic crisis may have prevented the labour market from shrinking for the time being, but the workforce in a number of technological sectors is ageing, which means that labour shortages are expected in the near future. For the sake of the economy and society, it therefore remains important to ensure that STEM subjects are inspiring to young people. And in order to inspire that target group, it is important to know what drives and motivates them. How exactly do they view STEM subjects?

The objective of Platform Bèta Techniek is to ensure a steady supply of highly-educated science and technology experts for future years. In order to achieve that objective, the Platform co-operates closely with various parties in the educational system and labour market. One of the important aspects of these efforts is to improve the image of STEM educational programmes. These programmes must remain relevant to young people. They need to target groups who might not normally choose a STEM subject, but who do have an active or passive interest in science itself. Another potentially interesting target group is young people who are good at science and technology subjects but have a negative image of the world of science and technology (the ‘SciTech world’). The underlying question is how to inspire these young people: how can we (re)introduce them to the SciTech world and STEM subjects in a positive and exciting way? And subsequently, how can we hold on to them?

In 2007, the Platform commissioned the survey that formed the basis for the BètaMentality model. The model helps educational institutions, business and sectors to understand how young people see STEM subjects and to adapt their approaches accordingly. The model was devised three years ago and is being used successfully by an increasing number of educational institutions, businesses and intermediary organisations.

In 2010, a new survey was performed with the aim of gaining broader and more in-depth knowledge of the target group. The age group of the participants was widened to 12-24 (compared with 14-18 previously) and the questions were extended to gain a greater insight into the four BètaMentality types. The new information was used to refine the model. Further insights were also gained by using BètaMentality youth panels and by linking careers to the four BètaMentality types. We hope that this publication will therefore be even more enlightening and inspiring than the first edition.