The ChipNL Competence Centre and the Beethoven programme complement each other
There is a great deal happening in and around the Brainport region within the semiconductor sector: from mechanical engineering and integrated photonics to chip design and advanced testing and pilot facilities. It is therefore only natural that Brainport is attracting a great deal of interest – both nationally and internationally. One result of this is that a significant proportion of the Beethoven funds are being channelled into our region. And the ChipNL Competence Centre (ChipNL CC) is also based in Brainport. It’s great to see all these initiatives and funding for the regional semiconductor sector. But how do you ensure you can still see the wood for the trees? And that one initiative reinforces another, rather than working against it? An interview with Rutger Holtzer and Nick Hol on articulating demand, the talent shortage and the art of connecting.
Rutger Holtzer works as Programme Lead Talent for ChipNL CC and for Beethoven, the regional programme for the semiconductor sector. Nick Hol is employed full-time by ChipNL CC and is therefore active both nationally and internationally. The two work closely together on the theme of talent. Rutger explains how his two roles relate to one another: ‘Through Beethoven, I work at an operational level, closely with the region and the business community. At ChipNL CC, I take a much more national perspective and act in a coordinating role. That combination is valuable, because I can see how both worlds interlock.’ Nick: ‘Rutger and I really complement each other. He has twenty years’ experience in skills and talent development within the business sector, including at ASML. I have a background in engineering physics, have worked in venture capital and am well acquainted with the international context. That makes our collaboration effective.’
Demand articulation
A key concept in the work of the two is demand articulation. Or, as Rutger prefers to call it: ‘learning needs’. ‘It sounds like educational jargon, but it’s actually very concrete: what does the semiconductor sector need now and in the future in terms of people and skills? How many, at what level, and how is that changing?’ Beethoven tackles this issue directly: colleagues engage in dialogue with companies, schools are approached, and training programmes are expanded or adjusted. The ChipNL CC operates at a different level. ‘We collate data from different regions across the country and produce a national and European overview,’ explains Nick. ‘I see the ChipNL CC as a knowledge centre, not as an implementing body.’ Rutger agrees. ‘Beethoven can go into depth. We at ChipNL CC, with just three people covering the whole country, cannot do that. By providing an overview, we can identify where gaps exist and then bring the right parties together.’
Horizontal connector
ChipNL CC and Beethoven are pursuing the same goal: to support the semiconductor sector in the Netherlands and Europe so that it can develop to its full potential. That makes collaboration a natural fit.’ Nick: ‘As ChipNL CC, we are the horizontal link. We try to bring programmes such as Beethoven, Photon Delta and QDNL into contact with one another. Not to merge them, but so that they can learn from one another and avoid unnecessary overlap.’
Scale-up
A development that has had the Brainport region in its grip for years is the scale jump: rapid growth in the number of vacancies in the semiconductor sector. That concept is no longer a distant prospect. The number of vacancies is rising sharply and will only continue to increase in the coming period. Rutger: ‘The most recent vacancy monitor from ChipNL CC shows that the number of vocational training vacancies in particular is rising sharply. At the moment, it is the practically trained professionals who are making the difference.’ Nick sees this confirmed at European level too: ‘The expectation is that the EU Chips Act 2.0 will place greater emphasis on Vocational Education and Training, which we call MBO. The sector needs practically trained professionals who build, maintain and operate machines.’
A solution from an unexpected quarter
Where ChipNL CC identifies the issue, it is up to Beethoven to tackle that challenge. ‘We are seeing a decline in the intake of technicians. Only twenty per cent of young people in the Netherlands choose a technical course, one of the lowest percentages in the EU.’ Rutger: ‘As a nation, we need to work on boosting the sector’s popularity.’ Perhaps the solution will come from an unexpected quarter. ‘At Beethoven, we are actively looking for people switching careers. And we’re also thinking outside the box. For instance, nail stylists have proved to be excellent employees at ASML’s in-line motor factory. They can work with precision and are very focused on quality.’ Rutger: ‘One of the biggest barriers for people switching careers is loss of income during retraining. These are obstacles we try to remove at Beethoven.’
Identifying and driving forward
At ChipNL CC, the team is busy lobbying in The Hague and Brussels. ‘We also bring together parties that would otherwise work at cross-purposes.’ A concrete example: ChipNL CC identified a chip design game being developed at TU/e in collaboration with TU Twente and TU Delft. Through contacts in Brussels, ChipNL CC found a European grant that was a perfect fit. ‘Now we’re looking at whether we can help build the consortium and roll out the game across Europe,’ says Nick. ‘That’s exactly what we can contribute: making the connection that others don’t see.’
Beethoven and the ChipNL Competence Centre
Beethoven is a national programme focused on the broad development of the semiconductor sector: from talent and facilities to infrastructure. The programme has significant implementation capacity and works closely with companies and educational institutions in the region.
The ChipNL Competence Centre is a national and European initiative arising from the EU Chips Act. Each EU country has its own Competence Centre. The ChipNL CC operates at a high level: it connects programmes, provides an overview and supports start-ups and scale-ups. In the field of talent, it offers a national platform with courses and training programmes for the semiconductor sector.
Brainport Development plays a key role as the lead organisation and driving force behind the ChipNL CC, as well as the lead organisation for the ‘Talent of Beethoven’ theme.