This country note provides an overview of the governance of the adult skills system in the Netherlands. It is part of an extensive review of all 38 OECD countries. The main findings across all countries are summarised in the OECD report The Role of Subnational Governments in Adult Skills Systems. Representatives from the Dutch Government reviewed the country note in December 2024 and published it in June 2025.
The role of subnational governments in adult skills systems: Netherlands
Note : For more information on the definitions of the governance models, please see OECD 2025 [XXX].
Source: (OECD/UCLG, 2022[1])
The Netherlands has a combined governance model for its adult skills system. The system is characterised by a strong national government structure that sets out strategies, legislation, and budgets, combined with significant freedom of implementation at the local level. While the regional government (provinces) play a limited role in the system, two types of multi-level government cooperation structures exist at the regional level to align labour market policies with local and regional needs:
Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Active Labour Market Policies (ALMPs) are primarily managed at the national level (or through deconcentrated branch offices of national ministries or agencies), with most education being funded through private financing sources. The municipalities (local level) play a significant role in supporting people on social assistance who are further from the labour market.
Continuous Education and Training (CET) is provided across government levels by public and private providers. Municipalities play a key role in delivering adult learning (AE) for citizens who lack basic education and skills (e.g., migrants and early school leavers). The national government also monitors the quality of (non-funded) adult formal education.
At the regional level, the Labour Mobility Teams (which will become the ‘Regional Work Centre’ (het Werkcentrum) in 2026) support vulnerable citizens through education and training programmes.
Social partners play a key role in the Dutch skills system across the three levels of government. They advise the national government and collect and distribute funding for individuals to access CET programmes aligned to the needs of sectors or industries.
Legend: ✓ = Yes; - = No
Note: For more information on exact definitions of policy areas and responsibilities, please see (OECD, 2025[2]).
Note: Colour code: Dark blue → government/national/subnational agencies, Green → social partners, Lighter blue → private actors and education providers, Yellow → Expert councils/foundations/associations/research institutions. For more information, please see (OECD, 2025[2])
Source: OECD compilation based on available information.
At the national level, the following stakeholders have a central role in the adult skills system:
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (Ministerie van Sociale Zaken enWerkgelegenheid) is in charge of policies and legislation aimed at increasing the employability of vulnerable workers, ALMPs, incentives for employers and employees to provide and participate in CET, and overseeing the Dutch Public Employment Service (PES) (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen, UWV) and municipalities.
The Ministry of Education (Ministerie van Onderwijs Cultuur en Wetenschap). is responsible for designing and funding VET and higher VET programmes/degrees. The Ministry also monitors labour market developments and ensures that VET provisions reflect labour market demands through the Co-operation Organisation for Vocational Education and Business (Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven, SBB).
In addition to the national government, social partners are strongly organised and play a key role in the skills system at the national level. Employers are the most significant contributors to adult education funding in the Netherlands. Together with specialist skill councils, such as the Labour Foundation (Stichting van de Arbeid) and the Social Economic Council (Sociaal-Economische Raad), the social partners provide labour market and skills intelligence that feed into the work of different ministries. Furthermore, the training and development funds (O&O fondsen) managed by the social partners are one of the main funders of CET.
Legend: ✓ = Yes; - = No
The 12 provinces are the regional government level in the Netherlands. The provinces are not directly responsible for implementing or delivering adult learning policies. Still, they play an important role in addressing regional labour market needs through collaboration, e.g., with employers, training providers, and the PES. In addition, the national government and local stakeholders, such as municipalities, oversee two types of collaborations at a regional level:
The 35 Labour Market Regions organise and manage employment and labour market policies at the regional level and align local and regional labour market needs with national policies and priorities. Their governance structure typically involves municipalities, regional development agencies, and social partners. From July 1st, 2026, the role of the Labour Market Regions will be reformed to structurally ensure a strong connection between the social, economic, and educational domains. In 2025, there will be a transition period to accommodate this reform.
The Regional Mobility Teams were introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Within these teams, municipalities, the PES, educational institutions, and social partners cooperate and provide services to workers at risk of unemployment and job seekers.
Various types of Secondary Vocational Education Schools (Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs scholen, MBO schools) operate at the regional or local level as part of the broader VET system. These include the Regional Training Centres (ROCs), the Agricultural Training Centres (AOCs), and the specialist colleges (Vakscholen). These schools often collaborate with regional governments to align provision with regional economic priorities and labour market needs.
The local authorities in the Netherlands are the 342 municipalities.
Municipalities are vital to the skill system as they design and deliver adult learning programmes for various vulnerable groups, including migrants, early school leavers, the (long-term) unemployed, and workers transitioning into new careers.
To deliver education and training, the municipalities cooperate with public and private education institutions, the Regional Mobility Teams, local branches of the PES, and social partners. To finance labour market integration activities, the municipalities receive grants from the national government designed to encourage municipalities to decrease the number of people who depend on social welfare.
Private providers are a significant part of the Dutch adult education system, focusing on CET and short-term VET courses. Major private institutions such as NCOI, LOI and NTI offer a range of vocational and professional programmes, including MBO-level qualifications and certifications. They are primarily funded through tuition fees, with some public subsidies available for learners.
Legend: ✓ = Yes; - = No
References
[7] CEDEFOP (2023), Skills anticipation in the Netherlands (2023 Update), https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/data-insights/skills-anticipation-netherlands-2023-update.
[11] Eurofund (2021), EU Policy watch, Database of national-level policy measures, Factsheet for measure NL-2021-18/2479 Regional Mobility Teams, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/NL-2021-18_2479.html.
[13] European Commission, Eurydice (2023), 8. Adult education and training, https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/netherlands/adult-education-and-training.
[6] Government of the Netherlands (2024), Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science, https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/ministeries/ministerie-van-onderwijs-cultuur-en-wetenschap.
[4] Government of the Netherlands (2024), Particiaptie wet, https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/participatiewet.
[8] MBO raad (2024), De MBO raad, https://www.mboraad.nl/mbo-raad#:~:text=Bij%20de%20MBO%20Raad%20zijn,die%20samenhangen%20met%20deze%20belangenbehartiging.
[3] Ministry of Social Affairs and Employability (2024), Webpage, https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/ministeries/ministerie-van-sociale-zaken-en-werkgelegenheid.
[2] OECD (2025), “From national to local: Exploring the role of subnational governments in adult skills systems across OECD countries”, OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Papers, No. 2025/XX, OECD Publishing, Paris.
[14] OECD (2023), “Who does what” for active labour market policies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/d8d6868d-en.
[5] OECD (2023), Policy Options for Labour Market Challenges in Amsterdam and Other Dutch Cities, OECD Reviews on Local Job Creation, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/181c0fff-en.
[1] OECD/UCLG (2022), 2022 Country Profiles of the World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment., https://www.sng-wofi.org/country-profiles/netherlands.html.
[12] Programmaraad (2024), Rioganle mobiliteitsteams, https://www.samenvoordeklant.nl/onderwerp/regionale-mobiliteitsteams.
[9] SER (2023), Leven Lang ontwikkelen, https://www.ser.nl/nl/thema/leven-lang-ontwikkelen/.
[10] Stichting van de Arbeid (2023), Leven lang ontwikkelen, https://www.stvda.nl/nl/thema/beroepsonderwijs-en-ontwikkeling/leven-lang-ontwikkelen#:~:text=Subsidieregelingen%20om%20leven%20lang%20ontwikkelen%20te%20stimuleren&text=Werkenden%20en%20werkzoekenden%20kunnen%20vanaf,sterkere%20positie%20op%20de%20arbeid.
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The full paper is available in English: OECD (2025), The role of subnational governments in adult skills systems, OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Papers, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/d452e8b7-en
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