Labor market in the energy sector

Netcongestion Learn & Share is an initiative of Amsterdam Economic Board, Alliander, Centre of Expertise City Net Zero (HVA) and Waag Futurelab. This session was held at the Faculty of Technology of the Hogeschool van Amsterdam. Renée Heller, head of the Engineering Knowledge Center at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam and Erwin Niedeveld of Top Sector Energy provided the keynote and presented the Human Capital Agenda Energy Transition. The energy transition requires new competencies and a large-scale commitment to equal, accessible training. The agenda includes four programme lines:

1. Labor-saving innovations to optimise processes
2. Developing learning and innovation ecosystems
3. Learning communities for collaborative knowledge development
4. Setting up Lifelong Development modules

Breakout sessions

1. Alliander – Working together for the future!

Alliander is exploring innovations to better integrate international talents. Challenges such as language barriers are being addressed with AI tools for real-time translation. In addition, initiatives are being developed to better recognise foreign qualifications and bridge cultural differences. Together with the participants, a nice exploration was done on the three challenges and many new insights were gathered.

2. Green Tech Campus

This session emphasised the need for collaboration between MBO, HBO education, business and government to accelerate the energy transition. Led by Mascha Smulders and Caroline van der Kooi (HvA), three public-private partnerships were discussed:

• Make IT Work: Retraining pathways to IT positions with job guarantee.
• Be an Engineer: Apprenticeships for various engineering positions.
• City Net Zero: Focused on social impact and educational innovation.

It also discussed initiatives that make MBO and HBO lateral entrants functionally employable in engineering courses, partly through close collaboration with regional companies.

3. E-Connect: Talents for the Energy Transition.

Viktor Bos and Anne Maren Kruse presented E-Connect, a public-private initiative to accelerate the energy transition and activate hidden talent. The model consists of three pillars:

• E-Community: Scaling up existing initiatives.
• E-Mployer: Support employers in hiring and retention.
• E-Talent: Counseling job seekers and identifying obstacles.

Participants emphasised the lack of adaptive capacity within the current system. E-Connect aims to support 20 initiatives in Amsterdam and IJmond before 2026, help 50 employers and guide 100 job seekers to jobs in the energy transition. Companies are invited to participate in a free learning culture scan.

Netcongestion Learn & Share results

This third edition offered valuable insights into innovative solutions to labor market shortages in the energy sector. The focus was on education and public-private partnerships, the influx of new talent, and overcoming practical challenges in internationalisation. Great collaborations were established between the participating parties.

Read more about previous editions and our initiative Energietransitie via lokale daadkracht.