Regional Deal strengthens MICS development and invests in the future of technical talent

The Mechatronics Innovation Campus Schiedam (MICS) has been awarded a grant of over €600,000 through the Regional Deal Waterwegregio for the project MICS Future Makers. This investment marks an important next step in the development of MICS as a hotspot for mechatronics in South Holland and in strengthening talent development in the region.

MICS is evolving into a place where companies, educational institutions and talent come together to work, learn and innovate. The MICS Future Makers project directly supports this ambition: by introducing young people to engineering and technology at an early stage, it helps build the talent pipeline needed for the rapidly growing high-tech manufacturing industry.

Technology lab as a link between education and practice

As part of the project, a technology lab will be established on campus, with a strong focus on robotics and technological applications. Pupils and students from secondary education, vocational education (MBO), higher professional education (HBO) and universities will have the opportunity not only to learn about technology, but also to apply it in practice.

The technology lab serves as a connecting link between education and industry and contributes to a continuous learning and development pathway. This gives young people a clear understanding of the sector and of the role they can play in it.

Collaboration as a foundation

MICS Future Makers has been developed in collaboration with organisations including MakerMinds, iTeachers, Delft Science Centre, educational institutions and the Municipality of Schiedam. This collaboration is characteristic of the way MICS operates: parties strengthen one another by connecting knowledge, practice and innovation.

MakerMinds and iTeachers play a key role in delivering the programme through training and activities for both schools and the wider region. In addition, several events are organised each year to make technology and innovation accessible to a broad audience.

From workshops to robotics events

The programme includes technology labs, guest lectures, workshops and company visits. It also features events and competitions, such as robotics challenges and initiatives similar to the LEGO League.

By building, experimenting and collaborating themselves, young people experience what technology is and what they can achieve with it. In this way, technology becomes tangible and relevant.

Investing in a strong ecosystem

The development of MICS and the MICS Future Makers project contribute to a strong regional ecosystem in which talent, knowledge and industry come together. This is essential to support the growth of the high-tech manufacturing sector and to keep the region attractive to both businesses and talent. The project will run for approximately two and a half years and represents an important step in further developing MICS as a place where innovation and talent grow together.

Niels Langenhuizen, Director of SDK Vastgoed and developer of MICS, says:
“With MICS Future Makers, we are bringing education, businesses and young people closer together. In doing so, we make technology visible and build the talent of the future together.”

About MICS

The Mechatronics Innovation Campus Schiedam (MICS) is being developed into an innovation campus for the high-tech manufacturing industry. It brings together companies, education and talent around mechatronics — the combination of mechanics, electronics and computer science. MICS provides space for growth, collaboration and innovation, contributing to a strong and future-proof economy.