The reinforcement plan is one of the measures from Project Beethoven with which the government and the region want to ensure a strong business climate for the microchip sector. The special envoy works with the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and OCW and Brainport Development on strategies and action plans to increase the talent pool, promote knowledge exchange and strengthen cooperation between educational institutions and industry.

Chip manufacturers and suppliers face major challenges in the field of technically trained personnel at all levels. Until 2032, 72,000 technically trained people are needed in the Brainport region alone. That is why the government will invest extra in talent development: €450 million until 2030 and then structurally €80 million per year. In addition, the plan assumes at least €225 million in co-financing by the business community and regional governments. The aim is to quickly train more technicians for this sector, for example by recruiting and admitting more students and retraining more people. This public-private partnership makes a significant contribution to the Green and Digital Jobs Action Plan.

Because this is a national task, the cabinet is asking 4 regions spread across the country (Groningen, Enschede, Delft and Eindhoven) to come up with detailed plans together with secondary vocational education, higher professional education and universities and the microchip sector. Part of these plans is also to increase diversity within technology courses, in order to utilize all the talent.

Hans de Jong has extensive experience with public-private partnerships and talent development, including as chairman of the Advisory Committee on the Distribution of the 3.5 GHz band and NSV communication, the program Scaling up Public-Private Partnerships in vocational education from the National Growth Fund and as a member of the supervisory board of the Talent for Technology platform.