29-05-2024 | Internship discrimination is a problem in Dutch secondary vocational education. Students with a migration background have to apply more frequently and search longer for an internship compared to students without a migration background. The problem is known, but far from being solved.
Internships are an important part of the upper secondary VET programmes. At least a quarter of the training time of every Dutch VET programme has to be spent on the work floor, and students cannot graduate without a positive assessment of the internship.
VET students are expected to apply for an internship themselves, as this will challenge them to think about what kind of work they are looking for. Internship positions can be found on company websites and national websites such as leerbanenmarkt and stagemarkt. Students can ask for support from their school in their search; the law states that VET schools must ensure the availability of internship positions.
Read the full news item
- Cedefop (2024). Netherlands: preventing internship discrimination in VET.