Retraining for employees and entrepreneurs
The market is always changing. In order to grow and survive as a company, you want to be able to respond to these changes. But what if you or your employees lack the knowledge and skills? Time to consider retraining or further training. The government offers various schemes and subsidies for this.
Why retraining or further training?
Retraining or further training can be a solution in, for example, the following situations:
- You need professionals who are trained in, for example, technology, IT, or healthcare. But you get little or no response to your vacancies. You do employ people who are open to doing other work, but do not yet have the knowledge. Or you know job seekers who are motivated, but do not have the right training. A retraining program can offer a solution.
- There is increasingly less demand for the work that some of your employees do. For example, because of digitisation or the use of AI. Or an employee can no longer do their current job due to an accident or illness. With retraining, you can offer these employees new opportunities either inside or outside your company.
- As a self-employed professional, you get too little income from your current work. You do see opportunities in other activities. But you lack the right knowledge and skills for those. Through retraining you can change your core activities and make your business profitable again.
See which retraining schemes are available to you
The government finds it important for companies and employees to continue developing. That way, people remain employable for as long as possible. You can make use of these subsidies and schemes:
Are you looking for practically-trained employees whom you teach the tricks of the trade? If so, you can offer students from, for example, senior secondary vocational or university of professional education a practical apprenticeship or work placement. The following subsidies are available for your costs in guiding them:
Practice-based learning subsidy
You can apply for the subsidy scheme practice-based learning for practical or work experience placements for pupils, students or participants from VMBO, secondary special education, practical education, MBO vocational education and higher professional education HBO. You can also use this subsidy for the wage or guidance costs of a PhD student or trainee technological designer. You can apply for the subsidy (in Dutch) at Netherlands Enterprise Agency RVO.
Practice-based learning third learning pathway
Are you a recognised learning company and do you offer a practical apprenticeship? For MBO students in the third learning pathway, you can apply for the subsidy scheme practice-based learning in the third learning pathway. MBO courses in the third learning route are more flexible and often shorter than regular MBO courses. This means the participants are often adults. Read the conditions (in Dutch) before applying for the subsidy (in Dutch) at RVO.
Do you or your employee want to take a course at a higher professional education (HBO) institution or a university? Or a full-time vocational training path (beroepsopleidende leerweg, BOL) at an MBO institution? Then you can use the lifelong learning credit. to pay the tuition costs. This is a loan for people who are not entitled to regular student finance. After finishing your studies, you repay the loan within 15 years. You apply for the lifelong learning credit from the Education Executive Agency (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, DUO).
Do you want to invest in your personnel’s expertise, growth and development? Then you can apply for the Incentive scheme learning and development within SMEs (SLIM) from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment
SLIM subsidy for SMEs
With the SLIM SME subsidy, you can invest in your employees. You can do this as an SME but also as an SME partnership. There is a subsidy for, for example, a consultant who provides career or development advice to your employees. Check the conditions (in Dutch) before applying for the SLIM subsidy.
SLIM training subsidy
You can apply for the SLIM training subsidy for practical training for (new) employees for their (future) jobs in socially important sectors. For example, healthcare, technology, and childcare. Read the conditions carefully before you apply for the SLIM training subsidy.
Discuss training and development
It is important for your company that your employees continue to train and develop. This allows you to better respond to changes in the market. That is why you should regularly discuss this with your employees: what do they need to be able to do their jobs well, now and in the future?
Get help through your municipality
Are you self-employed and do you need training to transition to other work? Then the municipality may be able to help you find the right training. As an employer, you can also contact your municipality if you want help in guiding an employee to other work.
Support varies by municipality
Support may differ from one municipality to another. You can contact 1 of the 35 regional mobility teams (RMTs) in the Netherlands for help. The teams are made up of advisers from your municipality, the UWV, trade unions, schools, and employer organisations, among others.
Free help may include:
- coaching
- retraining and further training
- assistance in finding a (secondary) salaried job
- practical learning
Find an RMT near you (in Dutch).