Eekels | TBI signs cooperation agreement Future-proof Technical Craftsmanship

On 30 March, Managing Director Hendrik de Haan, on behalf of Eekels Technology, signed the cooperation agreement Future-proof Technical Craftsmanship during a festive gathering in the former courtroom of the University of Groningen in the Oude Boteringestraat in Groningen.

The project concerns the development of a new MBO-4 education Technician Engineering Installation Technology. This training programme is in line with the growing industry demand for staff trained at the highest levels of intermediate vocational education. The education will place particular emphasis on IT, sustainable technologies and the development of social skills. In view of the latter, a methodology will be used that has produced positive results in the U.S., also for groups that have fallen outside mainstream education. The initiator of this approach, Dr. Arthur Langer from Columbia University New York gave a lecture on this subject during the project opening.

The education is not only new, but its development process is also innovative: the University of Groningen, Alfa-college, InstallatieWerk Noord and the companies Eekels Technology, Engie, Strukton and Energiewacht will jointly develop this education and invest extra time and money. OTIB and the Provinces of Groningen and Drenthe will also contribute substantively and financially. Universities of Applied Sciences and some other Regional Training Centres will also be involved in the development process.

Hendrik de Haan: “We welcome this initiative because it offers a solution for one of the challenges of the coming years. To realize our mission to be ‘Partner in Technical Solutions’, we need people with excellent technical knowledge and good social skills. This education will meet this demand in a new, innovative way and therefore we are happy to contribute to this project.”