R&D-intensive industries in the Netherlands are facing a shortage. There just aren’t enough highly-educated technology workers to go around. We’re all in the same boat and competing for talented people. Is this “battle for talent” contributing to our future plans? Or should businesses pull together more?
Expert meeting
On December 15, 2016, M2i Human Capital and High Tech NL organized an expert meeting on the theme “Scarcity in R&D-intensive industries.” A group of business leaders gathered to exchange their experiences and opinions about attracting (international) highly-trained talent.
The expert meeting brought opportunities and challenges to light:
- Companies and knowledge institutes are “battling” for qualified people. Knowledge institutes have trouble competing for (Dutch) PhDs due to the high starting salaries offered by companies. Rather than waging a “battle for talent,” companies and knowledge institutes must cooperate for the future.
- For their influx of new Master and PhD graduates, businesses focus primarily on the Netherlands. But there is excellent potential in eastern and southern Europe. The availability of international PhDs at the Dutch (technical) universities could also be better exploited. International knowledge workers have the advantage of bringing with them new approaches and insights. This is good for innovation.
- The number of students in science and engineering fields is making a spectacular recovery. This must be accommodated within the educational system. Limiting enrollment at technical universities would be disastrous, according to business leaders.
The meeting participants concluded by deciding on a new session, to include leaders in (regional) government and education. High Tech NL and M2i Human Capital are happy to set this up.
Read more about the meeting here (in Dutch).
Interested in participating? If so, please contact:
- Coen de Graaf via 088 – 555 43 33 or coen.de.graaf@hightechnl.nl
- Marike Rupert via 06 – 30 47 70 67 or m.rupert@m2i.nl