The transition to clean energy has significant implications for the industry in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and Vlissingen-Oost, in various areas such as finance, manpower, space, and the environment. People are crucial in this regard, both as employees and ordinary citizens.
To meet the demand for suitable workers and community involvement, Scalda (vocational education), HZ (university of applied sciences), and the Zeeland innovation hub Dockwize collaborate on the Energy Campus Zeeland project. These are our focal points:
- Increasing innovation capacity: Energy campus as an innovation hub
- Modernized educational facilities: Energy campus as physical locations
- Research as a catalyst: Energy campus as a knowledge hub for energy transition
- Lifelong learning: Flexible training offerings from the Energy Campus
To address the need for suitable workers and community engagement, Scalda, HZ University of Applied Sciences, and the Zeeland innovation hub Dockwize join forces for the Energy Campus Zeeland project. This project contributes to the goals of the Just Transition Fund and has a significant impact on the region.
More Flexible and Resilient
The Energy Campus makes the labor market more flexible and resilient by cleverly responding to the demand for workers in the industry. At the same time, it emphasizes social inclusion, actively involving people as residents and stakeholders. This increases engagement in the energy transition and the attractiveness of jobs in this area. An example of this is the Social Impact Lab, a physical location where entrepreneurs and governments, along with students and knowledge partners, tackle issues together. One such issue is how to ensure that people with barriers to employment can continue to participate.
The Energy Campus collaborates closely with companies and aligns with other initiatives in the region. The premise is that a future-proof labor market begins with innovation capacity. The chemical industry is undergoing a transformation, and the Energy Campus plays a central role in reducing the demand for personnel and attracting innovative entrepreneurs.
Real-life Setups
The Energy Campus also provides modernized educational facilities because experiencing the practice in the chemical industry is challenging. Green chemistry utilizes new techniques and processes, such as smart energy, smart grid, system integration, and energy transport. At the Energy Campus, students and employees work with real-life setups. Existing locations are modernized to mimic practical situations as closely as possible.
The Energy Campus is housed at the Kenniswerf in Vlissingen and the Maintenance Value Park in Terneuzen. An entrepreneurship square "Business Lab" and a "Social Impact Lab" will be set up at locations of the three partners. Various activities will be organized here, including educational activities. The Energy Campus serves as a knowledge hub and offers opportunities for lifelong learning, involving both workers and citizens in the energy transition.
Collaboration is central at the Energy Campus. Applicants respond to industry needs, translate policies into action with governments, involve citizens, and strengthen the social foundation with interest groups. Energy Campus Zeeland evolves into a collaboration between public and private parties, the place that connects all stakeholders and works towards a flexible and resilient labor market for the energy transition.
