Utrecht focuses on IT jobs by opening TechGrounds Overvecht

Renewed training offer

In Utrecht, TechGrounds is introducing a new training program called ‘TechSupport’. This learn-work trajectory trains hidden talents to become IT helpdesk employees in four weeks. They would start at post-secondary vocational level. After four weeks, participants will start working for four days and return to TechGrounds one day a week for upskilling and coaching. After six months, they’ll have completed the entire process and will start working full-time with their employer.

“TechGrounds is growing. In the number of locations, partners and different training courses, but also in the number of participants who find a job in tech. Our free training program, with no required previous education, has evolved into a training that fits seamlessly with the needs of the business. Where we previously just actively matched participants to companies, we now train participants directly for an open role at an affiliated organization via dedicated classes. Our partners thus actively tackle the shortage of tech talent and at the same time contribute to equality of opportunity in tech”, says Saskia Verstege, managing director at TechGrounds.

Growing number of partners look at talent differently

By looking at talent differently, TechGrounds, together with the Utrecht partners, but also with Randstad, MediaMonks, Deloitte, KPN, Rabobank, Technicom and Hema, for example, wants to tackle the increasing shortages in the IT labor market. Where until recently candidates on the basis of a CV were rejected due to lack of experience or specific skills, more and more partners are now looking at talent and learning ability. “Participants develop on a technical level, but especially on a personal level. It’s nice to see that confidence to participate in the job market is growing day by day, said Sebnem Ozec, Corporate Recruiter at Capgemini Financial Services.

TechGrounds Group dives into Dutch neighborhoods

In coming years TechGrounds aims to expand to six locations. Almere and Eindhoven are at the top of the list. From 2023, 250 people must be guaranteed to enter a tech job in the corporate world from the TechGrounds trajectory every year. The rapid growth of TechGrounds is partly due to the ever-increasing demand for IT talent and the willingness to collaborate from the business community, which is increasingly aware of diversity and inclusion. In the aim of solving the IT job market mismatch, TechGrounds has joined forces with TekkieWorden, the Netherlands’ largest guide to studying and working in IT. Together they offer the complete process from getting to know all IT domains & IT trainers, to training and a job in IT.

About TechGrounds

TechGrounds solves the mismatch in the IT labor market by activating hidden talent from the neighborhoods and communities to IT. With a specific focus on women and cultural diversity, so that tech belongs to everyone. TechGrounds offers short-term IT courses with a job guarantee, in which unused talents are trained towards ‘AWS/ Azure Cloud’, ‘Salesforce consultant/ developer or ‘Web development’. TechGrounds is an initiative of TechConnect, originating from the Amsterdam Economic Board and MolenGeek in Brussels. TechGrounds Utrecht has the support of Capgemini, UTC, UWV, Booking.com, Rabobank, TomTom, JPMorgan, training fund CA-ICT, the municipality of Utrecht, European Union and collaborates with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Salesforce, Nextview, Sentia, HEMA, PostNL, Randstad and many other partners. For more information, visit: www.techgrounds.nl.