With VDL Triple T Academy, VDL Groep offers BBL apprentices extra skills

Guustaaf Savenije, Executive Vice President VDL Groep: "Unfortunately, we have a huge shortage of MBO professionals. The influx of MBO graduates opting for engineering is insufficient to make up for this shortage. For us, skilled workers are essential for development and production. It is therefore important to enthuse young people for a job in the (high-tech) manufacturing industry; a sector where there is a lot of innovation, many opportunities and growth possibilities and where you can make a substantial contribution
to social issues, such as sustainability. In short; something to be proud of. The shortage of technical staff calls for creative solutions to recruit and retain employees. With the VDL
Triple T Academy, we give BBL students extra development opportunities. By giving this 'upgrade' to regular BBL courses, we want to make the choice for a technical profession more attractive. With this programme, we combine craftsmanship with personal development skills, sports and vitality. In addition, the programme gives extra recognition to practical technical talent. Talent that VDL is proud of, that we cherish and encourage for a great career in engineering."

VDL Triple T Academy: powerskills, sports and vitality

The 13 BBL apprentices work 3 or 4 days a week at one of the VDL companies. One day a week they go to school for vocational training. In addition, every Friday morning they go to the VDL Triple T Academy where they are physically and mentally challenged. The subjects cooperation, communication, result-orientation and entrepreneurship - also core values of VDL - are central to this. Powerskills that are crucial for vital and agile employees in the challenging high-tech manufacturing industry. Led by Jens van Son, former FC Eindhoven professional footballer and currently project manager at FC Eindhoven, the students follow a physical programme focusing on sports and vitality one week. The other week, lessons focusing on personal development skills are provided by René Berden of Mikrocentrum in the business room of VDL Groep in the Philips Stadium.

Cooperation and continued development

"To set up the VDL Triple T Academy, we sought cooperation with Mikrocentrum and
FC Eindhoven, logical partners for us given our long-standing relationships with both parties," says John van der Pas, HR manager and programme manager VDL Triple T Academy.

Frank Bruls, Mikrocentrum's training manager: "Good cooperation, communication, result orientation and entrepreneurship are essential powerskills to successfully tackle (complex) technical challenges and stay ahead. It is therefore important that the current and upcoming generation of professionals continue to develop in these areas. We are proud to join forces as a knowledge partner with VDL Groep and FC Eindhoven to help strengthen these skills and the talent of engineers."

Günther Peeters, FC Eindhoven general manager: "We are proud to be able to shape this project together with our main sponsor VDL. VDL Groep is a very important partner for our club and we see this as a perfect example of how FC Eindhoven can contribute to the development of our partners. ‘Building with Talent’ has been the identity of FC Eindhoven for years and through this project we can also propagate this identity socially. By involving FC Eindhoven in this partnership with VDL, we can both further strengthen our social goals and make a substantial difference to our region."

Kick-off meeting

During the kick-off meeting on Friday 23 September in the Jan Louwers stadium of
FC Eindhoven, the official starting signal for the VDL Triple T Academy was given and the 2022 'selection' was presented. More information about VDL Triple T Academy: www.vdltriple-t-academy.nl