News item | 14-02-2023 | 6:00 PM
MBO students receive appropriate compensation for their internship, with at least an expense allowance. In addition, employers and employees will work to include compensation in the collective labor agreement. In addition, more attention will be paid to realizing sufficient internships and better internship supervision. Finally, a package of measures must combat internship discrimination in MBO; schools, (learning) companies and the government jointly bear the responsibility for equal opportunities for every student.
All this is contained in the MBO Stage Pact with some 55 measures and agreements that was signed today by a broad group of youth organisations, MBO schools, unions, teachers, employers and governments. The MBO Stage Pact was concluded at the same time as the broader MBO Work Agenda and will run until 2027.
Minister Dijkgraaf of OCW: With this Internship Pact, we are taking major, noticeable steps forward for MBO students. The strength of the pact lies in its broad support and joint responsibility; government, schools and business. Practical learning is an indispensable part of education. For many MBO students, it is often even their first introduction to the labor market. This Stagepact can make it a safe, valuable and positive experience. Companies and society will later benefit greatly from these students in particular, who, as well-trained and innovative professionals, devise and create solutions for the challenges of tomorrow.”
Appropriate internship allowance
Students do not have to incur any costs for following an internship. As early as 2023, all students will receive an expense allowance that includes at least all costs a student must incur to do an internship at a company. In addition to the expense allowance, employers make arrangements to provide appropriate internship allowances for students, regulated in collective labor agreements. In addition to an expense allowance, students who combine work and education receive an employment contract and wages that meet the statutory amounts.
Combat stage discrimination
Eliminating internship discrimination is a joint priority of the government, schools and training companies. The package of agreements has three pillars; social standards, preventing and combating internship discrimination and reporting and tackling it. Important measures in this regard include the broad application of student-work placement matching, which starts at every school with first-year students and a leading group of companies. Placement is based on the student’s learning needs. There is no matching based on personal characteristics and there is no click conversation. In addition, every MBO school must have a low-threshold reporting point for students to report work placement discrimination, where they receive support and aftercare. The recognition regulations of the SBB (Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven) for training companies will also be tightened. In higher education, work has recently started on tackling work placement discrimination.
Better guidance and sufficient internships
Supervision of students during the internship is essential for a good experience from which they can learn and draw during their further studies or career. The starting point is therefore that there are at least three contact moments per internship between the student, school and work placement company, at least one of which must be physically at the location of the company. In addition, there will be further professionalization of the internship policy at schools. Students should feel well prepared, informed, seen and supported. In addition, employers and SBB will make every effort to provide a sufficient and high-quality internship offer.
Stagepact is part of Werkagenda MBO
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is investing 30 million euros in the Stage Pact, which will run until 2027. The various measures per theme are jointly closely monitored (in the meantime) to see whether they lead to the desired effect and whether the objectives set are achieved.
The MBO Internship Pact was signed simultaneously with the MBO Work Agenda by the Youth Organization for Vocational Education (JOB MBO), the Professional Association of MBO Educators (BVMBO), the MBO Council, the Dutch Council for Training and Education (NRTO), VNO-NCW, MKB-Nederland, Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG), Cooperation Organization for Professional Education and Business (SBB), CNV Education and CNV Jongeren, Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV) and FNV Young & United, General Education Union (AOb), Federation of Education Trade Unions (FvOv), Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW).