If Education Minister Dijkgraaf has his way, secondary schools (MBO) will have a more important task of finding placements for their freshmen. Schools must find an internship in a company based on the student’s learning aspirations and skills. The company then has to accept this student as an intern.

Dijkgraaf sees this system, known as “stage matching”, as an important tool in the fight against internship discrimination. According to studies, MBO students with a migrant background are rejected more frequently by an internship company to which they apply than students without a migrant background.

The minister relieves the student of the responsibility for finding an internship and places it firmly on the school. Now the students have to meet with a company to see if it “clicks”. Research shows that things often go wrong there, resulting in an intern being rejected.

First introduction to practice

In Dijkgraaf’s plan, the student no longer has to apply for a position, the program gets the role matchmaker. The internship supervisor works with the student to determine what they want to learn and then places the student in a suitable internship company. Supervision at the school must also be improved during the internship, as almost a third of the students are now dissatisfied with this.

A first internship is often a student’s first introduction to the industry in which he or she will later work. According to the minister, it is important that this happens safely and successfully. That’s why he wants to conclude an internship pact with MBO and the economy. 30 million euros are available for this over the next five years.

4.4 billion

The Internship Pact is one of the elements of the plans for secondary vocational education that Dijkgraaf is presenting today. Almost half of all students in the Netherlands study at an mbo. That’s about 500,000 young people.

According to the minister, MBO plays a key role in solving many future issues. The demand for skilled workers in the areas of health, construction and the energy transition remains high. That is why he is investing 4.4 billion euros in MBOs by 2027. About 360 million of that is really new money.

Dijkgraaf wants to increase equal opportunities for MBO students and facilitate the connection with higher education (HBO, university). There will be special programs for excellent students.

The minister is also calling on companies, municipalities and student unions to also allow MBO students to participate in student unions and sports, and to let them benefit from student discounts like university students.

Early next month, Dijkgraaf will enter a debate with the House of Representatives over his MBO plans.