If you were hoping to apply for STAP in January 2023, your luck is out, as applications have been momentarily paused to ensure the budget is being used properly.
The Dutch cabinet has paused applications for STAP until February 28, 2023, due to concerns that the budget is being misused, reports RTL Nieuws.
Skills training or a two-day tour of Antwerp?
The STAP budget is a government-funded scheme designed to cover the costs of labour training for EU and Dutch citizens up to €1,000.
READ MORE | Five facts about the STAP subsidy that will inspire you to upskill your career
However, Ministers Karien Van Gennip of Social Affairs and Employment and Dennis Wiersma of Education, have concerns about the strictness of the rules for the subsidy. Namely, all courses listed under the budget fit into their rules.
As much as we’d all love to attend that jam-making course, all the training under STAP must be useful for the person’s employability.
The tightening of rules also comes after RTL Nieuws discovered that one could take a two-day ‘discovery of yourself’ course in Amsterdam, Antwerp or Paris under STAP.
Perhaps not the most useful course in terms of retraining, but we’d sure love to discover ourselves in Paris for free. 😍
STAP could be used to retrain employees for labour shortages
The government does checks to ensure that all courses that qualify for STAP are of good, educational quality.
They are also looking into whether the subsidy could be used to retain people for areas of the labour market where there are shortages.
For example, the question has been raised if the scheme could be used to train people in healthcare or education. 👩⚕️
The budget has already been used by 200,000 Dutch and EU citizens since it launched in March 2022, — the government expects more success next year.
Readying your application? The next round of applications will open on February 28, 2023, so make sure you’ve got the date down in your books. ✍
Would you use STAP to hone your skills? Tell us in a comment below! 👇