On the 9^th of June 2022, the announcement was made that the RIF Program Gastvrij Fyslân (Regional Investment Fund Program Hospitality Friesland) will receive 1.2 million euros in subsidy from the Dutch government. In addition to the subsidy offered by the government, the province will contribute to the project bringing the total amount to more than 3.5 million euros. 

As part of this program, Frisian entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry as well as representatives of Friesland College, ROC Friese Poort, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, KHN, Fyslân Werk and the Province of Fyslân are investing in a genuine partnership to tackle problems related to employment and labour concerns in the hospitality industry.

On Monday, 27^th June, the kick-off session of RIF Program Gastvrij Fyslân took place at the WTC hotel in Leeuwarden. Participants celebrated the beginning of the four-year project and brainstormed in different breakout sessions, and came up with some agreements moving forward.

Erwin and Georges represented NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences and the Professorship of Hospitality Studies. Together, we will participate with the ROCs which will also facilitatie a solid transition from MBO to HBO. The aim is to offer attractive practice-oriented programs with which the future hospitality employees in Fryslân are trained and retained in the sector and thus partly meet the expected demand for qualified employees to work in the sector.

In addition, Georges will be researching with students about the hospitality sector's attractiveness to the labour market and how it can become an employer of choice as part of his PhD at the University of Groningen under the supervision of Prf. Dr. Jouke van Dijk. 

Georges El Hajal