Talent Study Twente 2026: data-driven insights as the foundation for decisions relating to talent
Twente’s ambition for 2050 calls for tough choices. Growth in technology, innovation, and broad prosperity can only succeed if the talent challenge is addressed as well. To properly lay the groundwork for that next step toward a leap in scale, the Twente Board has invested in the Talent Study Twente 2026.
The research report provides a data-driven and coherent picture of the size, composition, and development of talent within Twente’s key technology clusters. This highlights the demand among employers and the challenges involved in attracting and retaining professionals in the region.
Date of Publication: 24 April 2026
Read time +/- 2.7 minutes
The results were recently shared and discussed at the Twente Board meeting and were well received. Ank Bijleveld-Schouten, chair of the Twente Board: “This research report offers in-depth insight into the talent challenge within key technology clusters. It helps us engage in a dialogue about talent and gain a clear understanding of where Twente stands now and what that means for the future.”
Initial findings show that the talent challenge in Twente is significant, growing, and cuts across sectors. Every year, there are thousands of job openings within key technologies and strategic clusters, particularly at the mid-level and senior levels. At the same time, it appears that Twente is still not sufficiently visible as a career destination for many national and international talents, and that retaining talent also requires attention. These findings underscore the importance of targeted, collaborative decisions.
Insight as a starting point for joint interpretation
Twente Board has made a conscious decision not only to share these insights but, above all, to interpret them together. The findings form the substantive basis for knowledge-sharing sessions and roadshows with companies, educational institutions, government agencies, and other partners in the region. During these sessions, the implications of the analysis for Twente’s leap in scale are explored in greater depth.
The results of these sessions serve as input for the collaborative effort to develop an action agenda for talent, aimed at strengthening the region’s earning capacity and future-proofing the labor market.
Want to learn more?
Read the key insights and background information from the Talent Study Twente 2026.
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