ASML wants influx of tech talent to quadruple

It was a nicely orchestrated setup. Peter Wennink, top executive of ASML and chairman of TUE’s supervisory board, handily kicked the ball to TUE representatives during the opening of the academic year: “Four times more influx of talent.” TUE rector Frank Baaijens and university president Robert-Jan Smits immediately passed the ball on to the European and Dutch political representatives: “Cash on the barrel, please.”

Time and setting were well-chosen. TUE is the purveyor of highly educated people in the Brabant high-tech ecosystem. Four out of five Dutch-speaking engineering students go to work for a company in the Brainport region after graduating from the Eindhoven university. In his speech, TUE rector Baaijens admitted that the current output is far from sufficient to meet current and future demand.