Introduction Vocational education in The Netherlands

Vocational education is a key supplier of qualified professionals for business and society. The majority of Dutch young people follow a course of vocational education.

Vocational education is provided at secondary schools (pre-vocational secondary education, VMBO), institutions for secondary vocational education (MBO) and institutions for higher professional education (HBO). These institutions are subsidized by the government. Pre-vocational education is for children in the age from 12-16 years and can be chosen directly following primary education. Secondary vocational education is the natural follow up after pre-vocational education. Higher vocational education can be applied for with a diploma of  secondary vocational training or with a diploma of general education.

Vocational education and the STC-Group

The Shipping and Transport College (part of the STC-Group) provides pre-vocational and secondary vocational education. The Shipping and Transport College is acknowledged by the Dutch ministry of Education as the only specialist college providing training for the shipping and transport branches.

The Nautical university for professional education (part of the STC-Group) offers in cooperation with the Rotterdam university for professional education a 4 year training programme for Bachelor in Maritime Operations.

On pre-vocational level (VMBO) the Shipping and Transport College offers educational programmes for : Port, Inland Shipping and Transport and Logistics.  On secondary vocational level the Shipping and Transport College offers more then 30 specific training programmes on different levels and with different duration (one, two, three or four years) within the secondary vocational education.

The training programmes are specially designed for the following branches :

• Merchant marine
• Fishery
• Dredging
• Inland shipping
• Ports
• Road transport
• Shipbuilding
• Logistics and warehousing
• Process and energy industry

Each year more then 3000 students are following a secondary vocational level training programme at the Shipping and Transport College.  The pre-vocational programmes are followed by 500 pupils. The Shipping and Transport College is by far the biggest “supplier” of well qualified young people for the shipping and transport industry.