Stichting CA-ICT, Training Fund for the ICT Labor Market, aims to improve the employability of the sector and its employees, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of the Netherlands. CIO Platform Nederland advises this foundation. This foundation is seeking help in developing career paths. A career path is a series of successive positions within a profession, with a description of the training/education needed to progress from one position to the next. 

The Ministries of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) and Education, Culture and Science (OCW) have made a budget available this summer for sectors to establish career paths. The goal is to give people opportunities and address shortages in socially critical sectors. ICT is one of the sectors specifically mentioned.

What is a career path? 
A career path consists of a series of successive positions within a profession, along with a description of the training/education needed to progress from one position to the next. Essentially, it is a career ladder. For employers with ICT workers, standardized career paths for various ICT professions can be valuable. Additionally, the government plans to subsidize the training defined in the career path from the end of 2025 to facilitate progression. Career paths are also intended to provide entry opportunities for people who sometimes have less access to ICT, such as MBO graduates, status holders, and Ukrainian displaced persons. With better accessibility and clear progression opportunities, we make working in ICT more attractive, and career paths help reduce staff shortages.

For four career paths, ICT Stichting CA-ICT has requested a partial budget to create and implement a career path:

• Software development
• Cyber security
• Data & information management
• IT support & digital infrastructure

The goal is to have the career path ready for each profession by the end of May 2025. This will allow us to make the first application for a new subsidy, the ICT training scheme for the training in the career path, for employers and other stakeholders in September.

Which employers are we looking for?

• Pioneers who want to actively think along/provide input for the creation of one or more career paths.
• Pioneers who are willing to concretely hire and train MBO graduates, status holders, or Ukrainian displaced persons in an entry-level position (starting from September 2025).
• Pioneers who want to make a social contribution and are okay with the fact that it is not yet clear what or how exactly.

What do we ask of employers? We ask for your expert input on job structures and necessary training. We cannot yet specify how much time will be needed from employers. The concept of a ‘career path’ is still new, and examples are limited. CA-ICT has experts with experience who can establish the ICT career paths, but we need input from employers for the process.

We also ask for ‘first movers’; employers who take staff shortages seriously and are willing to explore new avenues. People who do not yet logically find their way to ICT but are offered a well-thought-out opportunity and path.

Of course, we understand that your time as an employer is limited and that there are other priorities. Therefore, we want to handle your offer carefully if you want to contribute substantively to the project. We do not want to ‘consume’ your goodwill but rather give you a chance to concretely fulfill your social involvement.

Interested/questions? Send an email to Marijke.