Considerable increase over-30s in mbo

In the school year 2009/’10, more than 30 thousand men and  31 thousand women over the age of 30 participated in secondary vocational education (mbo), an increase by nearly two thirds relative to 2005/’06. Older mbo students often attend training programmes related to health care and technology.

Older mbo students often employed

Nine in ten students in mbo over the age of 30 attended the apprenticeship-based learning track in 2009/’10. These students are often employed by a company providing practical experience and training and go to school one or two days a week. Over the past four years, the number of students in the apprenticeship-based learning track in the age category 30–45 has grown by more than a quarter and the number of over-45s has more than doubled.

Over-30s in mbo by learning track and age

Women over 30 opt for vocational training programmes

Some 35 percent of male mbo students aged 30 years and older attend a basic vocational education programme. Female mbo students aged 30 years and older frequently opt for a vocational training programme (39 percent). Over-30s in mbo relatively often attend an assistant training programme at the lowest level. This mainly applies to men.

Mbo students by level of education, 2009/’10*

Women opt for health care, men for technology

Nearly two thirds of female mbo students over the age of 30 prefer a health care and welfare-related training programme. Nearly half of their male counterparts opt for technology, manufacturing industry and construction-related programmes. The government still funds mbo training programmes for students over the age of 30, but plans are being made to cut subsidies.

Over-30s in mbo by training programme, 2009/’10*

Theo van Miltenburg