Fontys & Semiconductor Talent
For many years, Fontys has strengthened the broader Brainport region by educating technical talent and connecting it sustainably to the labour market. The region is globally renowned for its innovative strength and strong employment in the semiconductor industry. Hundreds of companies are based here, enabling the development and production of microchips.
Deploying technical talent is more urgent than ever: global demand for technology is growing rapidly, and without enough qualified professionals, Brainport’s international position will come under pressure. Approximately 70,000 additional engineers and IT professionals will be needed over the next ten years. Fontys plays a key role by offering future-proof, flexible education and targeted talent development.
What is Semicon?
To maintain the region’s leading position, many thousands of additional professionals for the semiconductor industry will be needed in the coming years, from mbo, hbo, and wo education.
Under the name Programme Beethoven, the Dutch government is investing €2.51 billion in infrastructure, housing, and talent development. Through the National Microchip Talent Reinforcement Plan, which is part of Programme Beethoven, the government, regional partners, and educational institutions are working together on the challenge: “Additional talent for semiconductors.”
Fontys is making a substantial contribution and is ready to educate thousands of additional professionals in the coming years.
Want to know more about the National Reinforcement Plan?
Go to Brainporteindhoven.com
Fontys' Contribution
Fontys sees collaboration as the key to addressing societal challenges through close and equal partnerships with other educational institutions and industry. Therefore, Fontys deliberately adopts a multidisciplinary, applied, and integrated approach to maximise impact.
Relevant educational offerings
By developing future-proof semiconductor education for both students and professionals—from associate degree to professional doctorate—we focus on specialisation, broadening, and flexibilisation of our programmes for full-time, part-time, and dual students.
Through Brainport Academy, we develop lifelong learning (LLO) pathways for working professionals, enabling upskilling and reskilling in a rapidly evolving technical domain.
Finding, educating and retaining talent
To reach new national and international technical talent and engage target groups not yet fully in view, we collaborate with other universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands. We also work with regional educational partners such as Eindhoven University of Technology and vocational institutions Summa and Ter Aa.
- Together, we recruit for both the national and international markets.
- We jointly develop continuous learning and support pathways.
- We actively support students in their study choices, progression, transfers, and programme switches.
- We improve alignment with secondary education by organising events, lectures, and challenges that show what happens in higher professional education.
- By making programmes more flexible and providing better guidance, students who feel less suited to their programme have more opportunities to transfer rather than drop out. This helps prevent dropouts and improves progression.
- We strengthen connections through practice by collaborating intensively with companies, making education more relevant, keeping students motivated, and showing them directly the purpose of their studies. In this way, practice and education reinforce each other.
- In educational pathways, we devote significant attention to the social integration of international students in the region to increase the stay rate. In this way, we support their connection to the region.
The goal is clear: higher enrolment, lower student dropout, and ultimately more professionals pursuing careers in the semiconductor industry.
