- 2015Approved/Agreed
- 2016Implementation
- 2017Implementation
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Completed
Description
In 2014, a revision of teacher requirements was proposed by the national teacher body Onderwijscoöperatie, which represents the teaching profession. The revised requirements were approved by the education ministry in 2015 and have become effective as of 2017. Formal requirements were divided into three categories:
- subject content requirements;
- didactical requirements;
- pedagogical requirements.
Teachers in primary education, in secondary education and senior secondary vocational education are required to have a bachelor's degree, while in upper secondary education teachers should have master's degree.
The education ministry imposed more stringent quality requirements for second-career teachers in May 2016. Second-career teachers (zij-instromers) can enter the teaching profession in primary, secondary, and upper secondary vocational education following an aptitude test. After the test, and satisfying other qualifications, second-career teachers can teach temporarily. They have to obtain a teaching licence within a two-year period.
In 2018, the education ministry approved the introduction of specific competence requirements for instructors who want to work in VET. On 1 August 2018, the competence requirements for upper secondary VET (MBO) instructors (including specific professional, didactic and pedagogical competences) came into force. The requirements have been developed by the professional association for VET teachers and trainers in the Netherlands (BVMBO).
In 2019, the position of instructors was further strengthened by a subsidy for further education. Instructors who meet the relevant competence requirements and want to follow a bachelor or associate degree course, can apply for a subsidy for the reimbursement of study costs. The costs covered include the reimbursement of tuition fees, study facilities and travel expenses up to EUR 7 700 per academic year, for a maximum of three academic years.
Also in 2019, BVMBO set out in a document the image of the profession of the VET teacher. The document contributes to the further discussion about continuous learning and career lines of upper secondary VET teachers. The professional image provides a common view and language on the profession and provides insight into the development opportunities in the profession of VET teachers. The goal behind the development of the professional image is that it will raise the attractiveness of the profession.
The measure is operational and runs as a regular practice.
In consultation with VET institutions, teacher training institutions have developed associate degree (AD) programmes aimed at the profession of VET instructor. With a new legal amendment, graduates of these AD tracks are allowed to perform instructor activities in VET. In addition, there is the specialist training course MBO instructor (Instructeur mbo, EQF level 4), whose graduates also meet the competence requirements for a VET instructor.
The measure is operational and runs as a regular practice.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Target groups
Education professionals
- Teachers
Thematic categories
Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences
Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.
This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.
The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.
This thematic sub-category refers to measures aimed at engaging more professionals into teaching and training careers, including career schemes or incentives. It includes measures enabling teaching and training of staff, managing VET provider and trainer teams in companies to act as multipliers and mediators, and supporting their peers and/or local communities.
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Requirements for VET educators: Netherlands. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28460