Shortages call for robust strategic workforce plan for the region
The region has been struggling with significant staff shortages in secondary education and senior secondary vocational education for years, and our labour market survey shows that these shortages will only increase in the coming years. The outflow of teachers is structurally higher than the inflow, both among experienced teachers (55+) and younger colleagues (<34 years). On top of this, the inflow from teacher training courses is far too limited to make up for the loss.
To respond to this, a regional strategic staffing plan was developed. The first step was to map the current formation and expected outflow. This proved more difficult than expected: personnel data were often scattered across different systems and essential information, such as authorisations, was not always in the source system. Over the past two years, we have therefore worked hard to improve data quality. A uniform data model (SPP) has now been developed for thirteen schools. With this model, we have a regional dashboard that provides insight into both the current situation and future outflow. Think of information such as how many teachers in North Holland will retire in three years' time. This provides a solid basis for making timely choices and taking targeted actions, from regional forecasts to concrete personnel planning at school level.