How can young people commit themselves to rural development? And how do ambitious young people in Friesland keep the prospect of a good job and a good home, so that they do not have to move to the Randstad? The Fryslân DOK 'Go North, young man!' can be seen on April 10 at NPO2 and on April 11 at Omrop Fryslân.
The title of this Fryslân DOK is inspired by the young heroes who went to discover the west of America: 'Go West, young man!' An expression from another time. But the future also lay in the west of the country for a long time for Frisian young people. If you are young and you want something, you should not linger in the Frisian countryside. Hop, cross the Afsluitdijk – that's where the opportunities lie, that's the future. What remains behind are 'the stayers'. Not a qualification that bursts with ambition. There are words like 'brain drain' and 'deflate'. How do we keep talented young people in Friesland?
climbers
In the series 'Climmers of the flat land', Fryslân DOK looks for initiatives on a local, small-scale level, but conceived from big ideas and ideals. After episodes about landscape, nature, agriculture, health and 'the village of the future', part six focuses on young people. According to Jouke de Vries, chairman of the board of the University of Groningen, it is especially young people who can build on innovation and develop the region.
high tech
In 1950 Philips came to Drachten and brought a lot of employment with it. The multinational is now part of the ICD, the Innovatiecluster Drachten, which consists of 24 high-tech companies from the Northern Netherlands.
One such company is ZIUZ from Gorredijk. Owner Gerrit Baarda first studied and worked in the West, but came back to Fryslân and started a video recognition company. It builds software for the police and develops medical equipment for hospitals.
The family business Ventura Systems in Bolsward makes bus doors, has 200 employees and customers in more than 40 countries. Owner Bas de Nooijer needs smart young people and thinks that the 'manufacturing industry' will make a comeback from the low-wage countries.
Jelte Steur from the Frisian village of Tjerkwerd graduated in Delft as an industrial designer and worked for Philips in America. But he wanted his children to grow up in Friesland. He devised and developed a handy cup for eating out and is now trying to market his 'Riser' successfully.
Broadcast Friesland DOK: 'Climmers of the flat land' part 6: Go North, young man!
Saturday April 10, 3.30 pm, NPO2 (repeat April 11, 1.10 pm)
Sunday 11 April, 5 p.m., Omrop Fryslân (repeat every hour)
Fryslân DOK has Dutch subtitles
Jelte Steur Industrial Designer Philips Employee Archive 
high tech ZiuZ employee Gerrit Baarda – ZiuZ & Albert Jensma – Omrop Fryslân Bas de Nooijer – Ventura
