Early this year, chip machine manufacturer ASML threatened to leave the Netherlands when the current coalition parties said they wanted to curb the influx of international students and knowledge workers.
Project Beethoven
The outgoing government was shocked and responded by announcing ‘Project Beethoven’. The plan was to strengthen the Dutch microchip sector by earmarking 2.5 billion euros for investment until 2030 – a plan that was adopted by their successors. Of the total budget, 450 million euros will be used to train an additional 33,000 technical workers.
According to Ministers Beljaarts (Economic Affairs) and Bruins (Education), the Eindhoven region faces the biggest staff shortage. Educational institutions in this area that have submitted promising proposals can look forward to a combined 45 million euros in funding. The Twente, Delft and North Netherlands regions will receive 20.5 million, 9.4 million and 5.9 million euros respectively.
If the investments pay off, the government intends to make the rest of the budget available from 2027. Businesses and educational institutions are also chipping in, contributing a total of 310 million euros.
Crucial
Minister Bruins believes that strengthening technical education is “crucial for the future of our country”. So crucial, in fact, that skilled foreign technical workers will remain welcome, as he pointed out last summer.
The government wants to use the remaining two billion euros to improve the business climate for the Dutch microchip industry. “This includes providing good roads and public transport, creating more affordable housing in the Brainport Eindhoven region and reducing grid congestion”, according to the press release.