The Arnhem Nijmegen region will receive an initial investment of 2 million euro from the State in initial education to train additional talent for the semicon industry. The Ministers of Economic Affairs (EZ) and Education, Culture and Science (OCW) signed the decision in early September, enabling the implementation of the Lifeport Semicon Talent Plan. It develops additional talent in the Lifeport Region Arnhem Nijmegen for and with companies from the semiconcluster in Lifeport and Brainport. A total of EUR 6 million has been reserved for the implementation of this plan.
Lifeport - second semicon region of the Netherlands
The sum of EUR 6 million is part of the EUR 450 million made available by the cabinet in early 2024 for the National Microchip Talent Reinforcement Plan. Maintaining and strengthening the semicon sector in the Netherlands will require 38,000 people in the coming years. The Reinforcement Plan describes the approach to provide this: a large-scale investment in the Dutch semicon sector, with the National Microchip Talent Reinforcement Plan as one of the core building blocks. Lifeport Regio Arnhem Nijmegen, the second semicon region in the Netherlands, was not explicitly included in the national plans - while Lifeport Regio Arnhem Nijmegen also has a growing demand for talent from companies, knowledge institutions and suppliers.
Therefore, with full energy, a broad consortium of regional companies, knowledge institutions and governments has been formed to develop its own, powerful talent plan. Not only for the Lifeport region, but also to complement the talent initiatives already launched by Brainport, and the national agenda.
At the end of September last year, the Lifeport Semicon Talent Plan was submitted, which also explicitly sought cooperation with neighbouring Brainport region to increase the impact on a national level. This resulted in the concrete application of €2 million for next 2 years that was submitted in May this year and has now been approved.
Many similarities between regions
Besides the Eindhoven region, the Arnhem-Nijmegen region contains the largest concentration of companies in the semicon sector. Cooperation between the two regions is intensive. For instance, both regions have a strong focus on technology, a powerful manufacturing industry, renowned technical education and knowledge institutions, and face a large shortage of technical talent to fulfil long-term ambitions. A number of leading semicon companies operate in both regions, such as NXP and Neways, as well as many suppliers.
Investing in today's and tomorrow's talent
The allocated funds will be used to invest in initial education in the Lifeport Region Arnhem Nijmegen in the coming years:
- Educational development and innovation space: development of new modules, certificates, labs and multidisciplinary projects to let young talent discover and experience the semicon sector.
- Challenge-Based Learning (CBL): structural cooperation between education and industry around current semicon issues.
- Regional cooperation and visibility: strengthening the Lifeport ecosystem so that (international) talent is not only trained, but also retained for the region.
Lifeport and Brainport also work together on Lifelong Development (LLO), offering everyone - from students to professionals and lateral entrants - the opportunity for continuous development. Building on the strong regional networks, flexible learning pathways are created that respond seamlessly to rapid developments in the semicon sector.
Stronger together through cooperation
The award is a recognition of the fine cooperation between companies and knowledge institutes in Brainport and Lifeport and the role Lifeport Regio Arnhem-Nijmegen plays in the Dutch semicon sector. Recent letters to parliament also now explicitly mention the region as one of the regional focal points of the Dutch semiconductor industry.
"This investment is a vote of confidence and a confirmation of the power of cooperation," said Jan van Dellen, managing director of The Economic Board. "By cooperating intensively with Brainport, the ministry and our regional partners, we are building a sustainable talent foundation that not only strengthens Lifeport Regio Arnhem Nijmegen, but the whole of the Netherlands."
"It is of great importance for the Netherlands that two of these strong ecosystems, both of which are very good at building complex technical systems and work closely together in cross-border value chains and partnerships, know how to find each other and share the experiences that exist when it comes to developing, training and retaining technical talent," said Director of Brainport Development Paul van Nunen.
About the Lifeport Semicon Talent Plan
The Lifeport Semicon Talent Plan is a joint initiative of companies, educational and knowledge institutions and authorities in the Arnhem-Nijmegen region. The plan focuses on developing, attracting and retaining talent for the semicon cluster in Lifeport and Brainport and dovetails with the national microchip talent reinforcement plan.
Semicon in Lifeport Region Arnhem Nijmegen - at a glance
Lifeport Regio Arnhem Nijmegen is the second semicon region of the Netherlands after Brainport. Strategically located on the Brainport - Lifeport - Twente axis, the region is the Dutch hotspot for chip development, advanced packaging and chip production. What was once the cradle of the Dutch chip industry has grown into a healthy and dynamic ecosystem.
With more than 50 companies, including NXP, Nexperia, Ampleon and Besi, the region supplies some €3.5 billion worth of chips and equipment to the global market every year. Over 10,000 people work here, a number that is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.
The region has unique assets:
- The only chip factory in the Netherlands (NXP Nijmegen).
- The mature Noviotech Campus, a vibrant innovation ecosystem.
- Strong knowledge institutions such as Radboud University, HAN and regional ROCs train thousands of students.
- Specialised research and innovation centres such as CITC (Chip Integration Technology Center) and OnePlanet Research Center, which link semicon and other sectors such as health and food.
With a powerful triple helix cooperation between government, education and industry, a regional Human Capital Agreement, and strong connections with energy, healthcare and food, the Lifeport region is an indispensable link in the national and European semicon value chain.
