From the hands of Fiona Schrage, professional skills teacher at the Institute of Engineering of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, the students receive their diploma during a festive gathering at Neopost Technologies in Drachten.
The growing demand for well-trained workers is increasing, while the supply of skilled workers lags behind. Also in engineering. Nationwide, the picture is that part-time education, especially among people with full-time jobs, is increasingly unpopular. Therefore, according to Schrage, education must become more flexible. ,,So that it can fit in alongside work, informal care, a family and a social life. Especially in engineering, a 40-hour work week is very normal. Do another study alongside that!’’
Unique course
This course is a unique example, because it is based on the wishes from the companies and also takes into account the study load that working people can bear. We did not offer the students a standard program, but adapted the program to the demands of the companies and the students. The result is an apprenticeship with a maximum study load of 16 hours per week, so that it is possible to study alongside work.’’ Neopost technologies in Drachten provided the location where students attended lectures and studied together for a year and a half.
Taste
,,Our company is becoming more and more innovative with new business and this course fits well with that,’’ explained Selma Bakels from. She is ‘’quality technician' at Neopost Technologies in Drachten and one of the graduates. The HBO modules of the course are a welcome addition to her MBO education and work experience. Selma has acquired a taste for studying. ,,After the summer I will continue my studies, part-time, at the Hanzehogeschool Engineering. Then I'll try to get my bachelor's degree.’’
pawing
adepending on the position, employees learn to analyze, design, realize, manage, advise and professionalize. ’’And the great thing is that this happens both in the lecture hall and in practice,’’ says program manager Joost Krebbekx of Innovatiecluster Drachten. In this way, the high-tech companies encourage their employees to further develop themselves in their profession. The modules offered to the technicians do not match their experience for nothing. ,,Together with the Hanzehogeschool we have carefully chosen some modules from the HBO bachelor program.’’ The modules are Mathematics 1,2,3,4, Dutch, presentation, reporting, dynamics, electronics, electrical engineering, control engineering 1 and 2, control engineering, electrical power engineering, modeling and the mechatronics project. ’’The teaching program consists of one half-day session from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., and each module has 1 to 3 half-day lectures. After that, exams take place.'' The course load is 16 per week for 19 months. That is a lot of hard work next to your job, but we notice that the colleagues enjoy it and that can be seen in the results. All the students have passed.’
In the media
Drachtster Courant, June 29, 2018: First students ‘apprenticeship in ICD Mechatronics’ graduated