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1. Forecasting system(s)

2. Skills development

Forecasting system(s)

Future demands in the labour market

• The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (Sociaal Cultureel Planbureau) (SCP) is a government agency that conducts research into the social aspects of all areas of government policy. The main fields studied are health, welfare, social security, the labour market, and education, with a particular focus on the interfaces between these fields. The reports published by SCP are widely used by government, civil servants, local authorities and academics.

• The Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) (Statistics Netherlands) publishes reliable statistical information which responds to the needs of Dutch society. They identify, for example, future demands in the labour market.

Skills development

Vocational education and training (VET) and the labour market

Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the Netherlands is called Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs (MBO) (Secondary Vocational Education). There is a forecasting system for MBO. On 1 August 2015, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science handed over their national advisory role to a new foundation:  Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven (SBB) (Cooperation organization Vocational Education and Training and the Labour Market).

SBB is responsible for most of the labour market research, development and maintenance of the qualifications structure and the accreditation of work placement companies. The aim is to find a fit between secondary vocational education and the labour market.

The 17 single sector ‘knowledge centres’ have been reorganised into 8 broader sector chambers:

1. Engineering and the built environment;

2. Mobility, transport, logistics and maritime;

3. Health care, welfare and sport;

4. Commerce;

5. ICT and creative industries;

6. Food, agriculture and hospitality;

7. Business services and security;

8. Specialist expertise.

The legal tasks of SBB for the vocational education sector and the business world are as follow:

• Recognition and support of so-called ‘leerbedrijven’ (learning companies);

• Maintaining of the qualification structure of the sector;

• Providing information about labour market and suitable cooperation with education and training possibilities.

Advise and information 

SBB provides information on forecasting. The organization has an advisory role. They can advise the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Ministry of Economic Affairs on the convergence between the secondary vocational sector and the labour market. SBB provides information to the secondary vocational education. They want to ensure good cooperation between schools and learning companies, and make sure that there are enough learning companies in the regions.

Non formal education

Information about non formal education is usually available at branche level. For information about the validation of non-formal and informal learning within vocational secondary education students can address school directly.