What motivated you to get involved in the SEED project?
We were really excited to join the CoVE SEED project as it aligns perfectly with Royal HaskoningDHV’s vision of ‘Enhancing Society Together’ and to contribute to a better, more sustainable world. At our core, we are all about making a positive impact through our work and finding sustainable solutions that benefit communities and the environment. Specifically, we play a crucial role in Energy Transition, working on innovative projects to promote renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions.
With 6000 employees learning every day, whether through formal training or picking up new skills on the job and from colleagues, learning is part of our culture and a necessity. The CoVE SEED project offers us new perspectives and experiences. Being part of CoVE SEED also means strengthening our connections regionally, nationally, and internationally. By teaming up with other organisations and experts we can expand our reach and capabilities. This collaboration opens doors to new partnerships and innovative approaches.
What are your expectations for the project?
We want to align our educational approach on energy and digital skills with good practices in the region. We already have good cooperation with vocational institutes, but we would like to see whether we can further reduce the skills gap.
This project offers a chance to learn from diverse approaches across Europe, enabling the exchange of best practices and innovative solutions. Our specific goal is to improve our knowledge of how CoVE incorporates energy and digital skills into educational frameworks, ensuring a match in our needs and the needs of the market. In addition, we are keen to explore cross-border collaborations within our CoVE, building a network where insights and experiences can be communicated.
How do you think the project can contribute to developing the regional CoVE ?
We believe that the SEED project contributes to the development of the regional CoVE in several impactful ways. As partners, we increase our expertise in (digital) skills, training, and upskilling of professionals, in energy and energy transition domains. Our collective experience in these areas enables us to share best practices and collaborate effectively within the CoVE, enhancing the overall educational landscape. This offers us a platform to leverage our expertise, strengthen partnerships between businesses and educational institutions, foster innovation, and support a thriving workforce in the energy sector. We offer our experience in upskilling professionals to get the required flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness to the market needs.
One key contribution lies in partnerships between businesses and educational institutions. By facilitating collaborative initiatives, we are bridging the gap between the energy market demands and educational offerings. This ensures that the educational programs align with real-world needs.
Additionally, the project can facilitate the seeding of collaborative agreements and innovation projects, providing a structured framework for Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) initiatives in the same domain. This structured approach helps streamline efforts, optimise resource allocation, and promote synergies among stakeholders. By coordinating PPP initiatives, we can maximise the impact of regional collaborations and drive sustainable growth in workforce development and innovation.
What do you think are the biggest challenges you might face in the SEED project?
In the SEED project, we foresee a couple of challenges that we will need to tackle as partners. Firstly, managing such a large-scale project demands a lot of coordination, especially when working with diverse and virtual teams. It will take extra effort to ensure everyone is on the same page, communicating effectively, and collaborating well across different regions and backgrounds.
Another challenge lies in clearly defining our roles and commitments within the project and setting this up for the future. We need to make sure that our contributions and agreements are clear and set up in a way that can continue beyond the duration of SEED. Identifying the benefits and outcomes of our involvement in SEED will be crucial for us to leverage project insights and maintain our progress once SEED ends.
To overcome these challenges, we will need to actively engage, communicate openly, and plan strategically. By building strong relationships and solid governance structures, we aim to navigate these obstacles successfully and make a meaningful impact within SEED and beyond.
How will the project ensure the transfer of knowledge and best practices?
The project will ensure the transfer of knowledge and best practices through collaborative efforts by partnering with various kinds of organisations. We are collectively leveraging expertise and networks to facilitate the dissemination of insights and innovations.
One effective method involves conducting workshops and live demonstrations of good practices. Through safaris during which we encounter practical solutions and get inspired to plan follow-up actions.
Furthermore, these initiatives are shared with other countries, creating a ripple effect of knowledge transfer and exchange.
From left to right, Fionna Heuff, Frans van den Akker and Jorrit Bock