Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country with strong global focus, as has been for many centuries. The service industry makes up about 80 per cent of the Dutch economy and employment. Although manufacturing currently constitutes less than 10 per cent of the Dutch workforce, it is very competitive and export oriented. The country is characterised by a strong vocational education and training system that is seen to support its industrial base.

Looking to the future, employment levels in the Netherlands shall increase slightly over the period to 2030 and its working age population is expected to grow, too. The employment growth will be still driven by services, such as acommodation & food, water & waste water treatment and education. Office professionals, personal services workers and technical managers are expected to have most new job openings. The fastest growing occupations will be the service ones, too: both office administration professionals and associate professionals, together with sales workers. More than half of total job openings (including replacements for vacated jobs) till 2030 will require high qualifications. People with low qualifications now represent around a quarter of the Dutch workforce; however the number of job openings with low qualification demands will continue to shrink.