In February 2025, journalist Anja Vink will begin her role as Journalist in Residence at NIAS. During her tenure, she will work on her book, Teachers for the Working Class, which explores the history of the “Nijverheidsonderwijs”, the teacher training in Dutch vocational education that existed until the mid-seventies of the past century.
“At NIAS, I hope to delve deeper into the reasons why the “Nijverheidsonderwijs” disappeared following the introduction of the so-called Mammoth Act,” says Vink. “This disappearance stands in stark contrast to the current demand for specialized teacher training in vocational education. More than half of Dutch youth pursue vocational education, yet the Netherlands faces a severe shortage of skilled workers in sectors like engineering and healthcare. The shortage of teachers in these fields is just as critical. What lessons can we draw from the history of this discontinued teacher training to address today’s challenges?”
The Journalist-in-Residence Fellowship is for journalists with a keen interest in scholarly research who need an extended period of time to focus on a longer piece of journalistic work. The programme is a collaboration between NIAS and the Fonds Bijzondere Journalistieke Projecten. the next call is open from January 15 to March 17 2025.
About the Fonds Bijzondere Journalistieke Projecten
The Fonds Bijzondere Journalistieke Projecten is a private initiative set up in 1990 by a group of well-known journalists. It funds a wide range of journalistic projects: articles, podcasts, documentaries, photography projects and non-fiction books, including biographies. It has contributed to the success of journalists such as Judith Koelemeijer, Geert Mak, Jeroen Smit and Annejet van der Zijl, and many projects financed by the Foundation have been awarded journalism prizes.
Foto: Hetty van Oijen
