On 15 February, the Tech Hub Assen took place, a company contact lunch for students. At this event, over 80 students attended from the Smart Industry course at Drenthe College and the Electrical Engineering course, Industrial Automation minor and Smart System Engineering Master's programme at Hanze University of applied sciences. Twelve entrepreneurs held an elevator pitch of two minutes in which they explained the activities of their company and the opportunities available to students. On behalf of Innovatiecluster Drachten, Theun Prins, owner of YP Your Partner in Drachten, was present. After the introduction the students had a chance to talk to the entrepreneurs present. The conversations were mainly about possibilities for internships, graduation projects, assignments to work on from the educational institution, or a part-time job at one of the companies. The informal setting and lunch provided a pleasant atmosphere for the discussions, and there was a great deal of interest in talking to the entrepreneurs.
Theun Prins: "After months of meetings via Teams, Zoom and Hangout, this event was a welcome change. The interest in the companies among the students present was great, and many conversations took place in small groups. In a few hours’ time, we spoke to almost all the technical talents present. We also put many of them directly in contact with the ICD-companies that were most suitable for them. The enthusiasm and drive of the students to be present was truly a joy. This made a successful start to their second semester. For ICD, these kinds of events are important as the high-tech companies in the north want to attract as much top talent as possible for a career in technology, so that together we can make the world a little more beautiful."
