Mechelen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Voka Mechelen-Kempen warns STEM enrollment fell to 35.5%, launches free curriculum; CEO Tom Laveren and expert Julie Beysens push school-business cooperation to reach 40% by 2030.
As VRT News reported, the employers’ organisation Voka Mechelen-Kempen has raised concerns over the drop in students taking STEM courses in secondary schools. They reported that for the 4th consecutive year, there has been a decline in students selecting programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Only 35.5% of students are enrolled in STEM programs now, a slight decrease from last year that is still the lowest percentage of students enrolled in the programs in the last 10 years. Experts are cautious, fearing there may be a workforce shortage in science and technology directly related to the decline in students in STEM. Voka Mechelen-Kempen points out that this trend is concerning for the education system, as well as the local economy.
What is Voka Mechelen-Kempen doing to reverse the drop in STEM?
The Flemish government wants to increase STEM participation to 40% by 2030. Voka Mechelen-Kempen says schools and businesses must work together to reach this goal. They recommend improving STEM programs, offering career guidance, creating mentorships, and linking schools with local companies.
“Without sufficient technical and scientific talent, our economy will lose its impact”,
says CEO Tom Laveren.
“The Mechelen-Kempen region is strongly driven by industry. We also invest heavily in research, development, and innovation. Companies, therefore, desperately need STEM profiles.”
The employers’ organisation Voka Mechelen-Kempen has launched a new curriculum to encourage more students to take STEM courses. The program is offered to secondary schools and can be utilized for free during the first year. Voka explains that the curriculum will assist students in grasping how STEM subjects are relevant to daily life and later careers.
“Choosing a study program after the first year is a crucial step. That’s why we want to introduce young people to STEM during the first two years of both the A and B streams,”
says Julie Beysens, education expert at Voka.
Voka is also proposing additional measures to make STEM more appealing. The organisation says STEM should be a policy priority. They are pushing for closer cooperation between schools and local businesses. Voka stresses that the quality of STEM programs must be improved and updated regularly.
Similar projects to promote STEM education have been carried out before. In January 2025, Greenpower Benelux collaborated with secondary educational institutions and local businesses in East Flanders to create and construct an electric racing car. The students engaged in hands-on experience and applied STEM knowledge and skills in an authentic context. Local businesses in the project included De Lift, in Eke-Nazareth, who contributed both financial and expertise support.
In March 2025 the European Commission revealed its strategic plan to boost STEM education throughout the EU. The strategy focuses on STEM education to enhance attractiveness, improve quality of the program, and prepare students for future employment in technology and innovation.
