UU, HU and ROC MN jointly win two LLO Catalyst grants
A consortium of ROC Midden Nederland, Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 of Applied Sciences, Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 and employers was awarded two grants in August for lifelong development in the Utrecht region. The amount involved is four million euros.
One of the foundations of the economy is a well-trained workforce. Major social issues - for instance around climate - lead to transitions in the labour market. As a result, every working person will have to deal with lifelong development. This topic has therefore been on the political agenda for years.
Utrecht 木瓜福利影视, Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 of Applied Sciences and ROC Midden Nederland have long been working together to shape lifelong development in the region. When the previous cabinet allocated the funds for the National Growth Fund LLO Catalyst, the institutions formed a consortium to apply for two grants: to promote lifelong development for the energy and raw materials transition and to professionalise their own institutions and staff. This intensive cooperation between both MBO, HBO and WO is unique in the Netherlands.
The energy and raw materials transition affects many professions. By acting together, we can organise flexibility and customisation for organisations and professionals. In this way, we create a broad ecosystem for lifelong development in the region.
Transit Lab
For the largest grant, the educational institutions in the consortium are working together with companies, the Technologieraad Regio Utrecht and ROM Utrecht Region. The grant will provide at least ten employers in the region with a tailor-made solution for lifelong development, enabling them to properly shape the energy and raw materials transition. The first three issues are known and will be tackled in 2024/2025 together with Bloemendal Bouw, Stedin and Van Dorp, who are also part of the consortium. These projects experiment with demand-driven working, innovation and co-creation. Fixed component is strengthening transition skills. In the so-called transition lab, knowledge is built up on what is needed (demand articulation) for lifelong development for the energy and raw materials transition. Solutions are being experimented with and their effectiveness and impact investigated among employers.
The results are widely shared. The transition lab is an open network that other employers, educational institutions and intermediaries can join. The methodology developed can later also be used in other shortage sectors, such as healthcare, ict and education.
Professionalisation lab
In the other application, ROC Midden Nederland, Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 of Applied Sciences and Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 are setting up a joint professionalisation lab for lifelong development of their own staff. In this lab, knowledge and skills will be developed among teachers, educational developers, marketing and communication professionals and support staff. This will put them in a better position to work in a demand-driven way and to meet the needs of employees, job seekers and employers. The subsidy for the professionalisation lab will also create new, cross-institutional positions. Workers and jobseekers in the region can get personal advice from an LLO adviser through the Utrecht platform , for example if they want to start work as a lateral entrant in a shortage sector. For employers in the region, the consortium will appoint account managers as contact points for lifelong development issues.
Implementation of the two grants started in September 2024. The grant for the transition lab runs for four years. For the professionalisation lab, two years have been allocated.
LLO Catalyst
The applications involving UU are part of application round 2 of the LLO Catalyst. There will be two more application rounds in 2024.