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 purpose.
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 education. A retraining program can offer a solution.
- There is increasingly less demand for the work that some of your employees do. For example, through digitisation. Or an employee can no longer do their current job due to an accident or illness. You can offer these employees new opportunities through retraining. 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. You only 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 is why it helps with subsidies, loans, free online training, and tax benefits. You can make use of the following 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, VSO, PRO, vocational education MBO-BBL 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 (toio). You can apply for the subsidy (in Dutch) at Netherlands Enterprise Agency RVO. There is an extra subsidy (in Dutch) for businesses that offer MBO-bbl traineeships in agriculture, catering industry and recreation. Do you offer apprenticeships in one of these sectors? If so, you will receive a supplement to your subsidy.
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. 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. This is a student loan for people younger than 57 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 subsidy). You can use the subsidy to implement activities such as career advice, apprenticeships, and using a company training centre to encourage employees to further develop their skills. This subsidy is open twice a year. Check the conditions (in Dutch) before applying for the SLIM subsidy from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment
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 consist of advisers from your municipality, 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).
Questions relating to this article?
Please contact the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO