During their visit to Utrecht, SEED Partners had the opportunity to visit ROC Midden Nederland in Nieuwegein, Utrecht, and obtain first-hand experience on how vocational education shapes the future. ROC Midden Nederland offers several specialized vocational courses, counting to around 20,000 students from diverse national backgrounds. This educational hub embodies the spirit of ‘enterprising education’, striving for a holistic synergy among students, colleges, community entities, and corporate sectors.
“ROC Midden Nederland is a community characterised by the key values: curious, entrepreneurial and personal. We offer present day, relevant education and training developed in co-creation with learners and the world of work.”
The SEED partners’ experience began at the Automotive College of ROC Midden Nederland. Here, the curriculum is meticulously crafted to mold technicians, mechanics, salespersons, and logistics specialists, offering a spectrum of learning tracks including Bodywork, Motor Vehicle and Two-Wheeler Technology, Management and Commerce, along with Transport and Logistics. They also learned about their way of teaching, which focus on the alternation of classroom sessions with internships or the blend of work and school, empowering students towards mastering labor-demanded skills.
Moreover, the partners learned on how the Automotive College collaborates with companies through the Public Private Partnerships (PPP) model. This initiative enables the acquisition of new equipment, and fosters a conducive learning environment where students, armed with contemporary, relevant education, can eventually transition into the workforce. The PPP model also highlights the symbiotic relationships between educational institutions and the industry, ensuring that the education synchronized with the evolving demands of the job market.
The visit to ROC Midden Nederland showed the SEED partners how strong vocational education prepares students for skilled jobs. They saw students using modern equipment and learned from forward-thinking teachers, which gave them a better understanding of how education and industry are connected. This visit helped them see how this institution, with its focus on curiosity, entrepreneurship, and personal growth, helps boost the economy and society in the area. It wasn’t just a look at vocational education, but a preview of a future where education and industry work together to create a society focused on knowledge.
