NAE Innovation Conference: Strong Connections to Retain Engineering Talent
NAE Innovation Conference: Strong Connections to Retain Engineering Talent
The Netherlands wants to return to the top rankings of engineering performance and innovation in Europe. How can we increase influx and retention rates of engineering talents in both education and professions?
The Netherlands Academy of Engineering (NAE) will take a deep dive into the question of how we can increase the influx and retention rates of engineering talent in both education and the profession during its annual Innovation Conference at the Prodentfabriek in Amersfoort. Although many excellent initiatives are already under way, we need to move the needle further to ensure that the Netherlands has enough engineers to address the major societal challenges ahead. The Netherlands invests heavily in inspiring young people to choose a career in engineering. Yet only 19% of Dutch students opt for a degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), compared to the European average of 30%. In Germany the figure is 40%, and in Japan even 43% (figures from Holland High Tech).
Within the sector there is far less focus on retention of talents, even though there are clear opportunities here. The Netherlands needs a nationwide, coordinated approach to ensuring that engineering students and practising engineers—particularly women—actually stay in the field. This will be NAE’s focus of the Innovation Conference.
The conference will be held in English, with space for Dutch contributions. You are warmly invited to join us — don’t miss it, and register now (free of charge)
Program
1pm Welcome by Eveline van Rijswijk
Chair of the Day
1.15 pm Inspiration talk: ‘If you are passionate about problem solving you can be an engineer’
Shini Somara, Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE, UK) and presenter of the highly successful YouTube series Crash Course Engineering (Keynote Lecture)
1.45 pm Inspiration talk: ‘Fix the system, not the girls’
Sahar Yadegari, Director, VHTO
2.05 pm Inspiration talk: ‘Let us radically rethink how we reach out to young engineering talent’
Joost Frenken, Chair of the National Outreach Overleg (NOO)
2.15 pm Inspiration talk: ‘The systemic barriers for people with a migrant heritage to enter engineering should be removed’
Vinod Subramaniam, President of the Executive Board, University of Twente
2.25 pm Break
2.50 Parallel Workshops
- Increasing the proportion of female engineers – Belle Derks, UU
- Retaining engineering talent, Rob van Hattum, NEMO and VPRO Public Television
- Systemic solutions for boosting engineering talent in the Netherlands -Jingxiu Xie, RUG
4.00 pm Break
4.30 pm Panel discussion
5.00 pm Closing & drinks
What are we gonna do with the outcomes of the conference?
NAE is passionate about an action-oriented, problem-solving, hands-on mentality. Therefore inspired by the lectures and the input from participants in the conference workshops, NAE will formulate and publish actionable recommendations for the knowledge and innovation field, aiming for a nationwide, coordinated approach to ensure that engineering students and practising engineers remain in the profession.You are warmly invited to join us — don’t miss it, and register now (free of charge)
This event is a collaboration with Koninklijk Instituut Van Ingenieurs (KIVI)