Thrive visits Nimeto in Utrecht, the Netherlands
In March 2019 Rense van der Heide of NYTA BV had a meeting with Mr Henk Vermeulen, chairman of the board of directors of Nimeto in Utrecht the Netherlands. In order to enable the reader to position Nimeto as a VET school, some quotes taken from its website will be stated here. “Nimeto Utrecht is a passionate trade school. We are an autonomous, small-scale and safe vocational school at intermediate level (Dutch mbo level) working with experienced craftspeople and offering specialized and practice-oriented courses.” “The students are prepared for trades in three fields of business, as well as for relevant further, higher vocational education (Dutch hbo level). The fields of business are: Design & Styling, Creative Technique and Real Estate & Brokerage. As a trade school we are at the heart of society and maintain close contacts within these fields of business. Our business contacts are of crucial importance to us. We very much enjoy working together!” The aim of this get together was to introduce the main aims of the Thrive project and so see if Nimeto would have some interest in the outputs of the project: the learning materials, the scans and also the research in general. After having had a very interesting tour though the school and meanwhile discussing the main aims of the school, the focus fort his special group of student and of course the industrial relations of the school, the participants already found out there were some links between the school and areas that were covered by the Thrive project.
Mr Vermeulen was certainly interested to receive the research report of the University of Wuppertal and the main parts of the Female Entrepreneurs Modules.
Also the areas covered by the young entrepreneurs materials might be well suited in some areas the school deals with in the third- and fourth year. The school does not educate entrepreneurs as such, but they see the importance of preparing young people for their specific role on the labour market. Quite a number of their students leave the school with a diploma and after a short while become freelancers or self-employed or start a small company with friends. Then they need the specific skills are at least should be able to find the knowledge to start up a company
The research of Wuppertal could possibly help the creative teachers to have a good look at the position
their students might be expected to hold within a couple of years. The company profiles that have been described will have an influence on the way they work, especially if there will develop a new kind of platform economy.