Utrecht Region Life Sciences & Health Talent Plan

The Utrecht Region is developing a joint Life Sciences & Health Talent Plan to ensure that employers have access to the talent and skills they need, as the sector continues to grow and evolve.

The Utrecht Region aims to make a strong contribution to a healthier world. It benefits from a robust knowledge base, leading research and educational institutions, and a rapidly growing life sciences ecosystem. There is strong ambition to conduct state-of-the-art R&D, alongside increasing interest from national and international companies to establish and expand in the region. 

A key condition for realizing this potential is the availability of sufficient talent with the right skills, now and in the future. However, this is not guaranteed. Demographic trends are leading to fewer students and a tighter labor market, while rapid technological developments continuously reshape required competencies.

To sustain growth and societal impact, a coordinated human capital strategy is needed, involving education providers, government, and industry. 

Challenge

Life sciences professionals in the region are educated across vocational (mbo), applied (hbo), and academic (wo) levels. While education adapts to labor market developments, the question remains whether this happens quickly and cohesively enough. 

The challenge goes beyond training new talent. It includes: 

  • Improving alignment between education and labor market demand; 
  • Upskilling and reskilling the current workforce through lifelong learning; 
  • Developing new competencies required in a rapidly evolving technological landscape; 
  • Retaining talent within the life sciences sector and the region. 
     

Objective

The goal is to co-develop a broadly supported Life Sciences & Health Talent Plan for the Utrecht Region.  

  • Map current and future talent needs; 
  • Define key regional challenges; 
  • Identify priority areas for collaboration; 
  • Set concrete goals, actions, and governance structures; 
  • Provide the foundation for joint implementation from 2027 onward. 
     

Coordination

The project is led by Joyce Oomen of Idilio joyce@idilio.nl, in close collaboration with Paul Koenen from the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. 

They work closely together with a core-team consisting of representatives from