Het Noorden werkt door

What Het Noorden werkt door does

Het Noorden werkt door was a regional collaborative partnership (samenwerkingsverband) established around 2020 in Northern Netherlands during the COVID-19 crisis, bringing together educational institutions (ROC, SBB), regional training coordination (RMC), the Dutch employment agency (UWV), municipalities, small and medium employer associations (MKB Noord), and trade unions (FNV, CNV, VCP). Its functional role was to serve as a single integrated entry point connecting job seekers and employers to career coaching, CV and sollicitatievoorbereiding support, neurodivergence workplace coaching, education and training pathways including BBL-opleiding, reintegration services, and the STAP-budget program. Services were delivered free of charge through three regional Werkcentra covering Groningen Noord-Drenthe, Fryslân, and Drenthe, with weekly multi-disciplinary team meetings enabling case resolution typically within a week or even the same day.

The underlying technology stack is non-proprietary and minimal: a WordPress-based website with Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel, LinkedIn Insights, and YouTube embeds. There is no API, no proprietary platform, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities; service differentiation rests on human coaching expertise and the breadth of the institutional partnership rather than technology. Distribution combines physical Werkcentrum locations with online sign-up and partner referrals from UWV, municipalities, and trade unions, alongside organic LinkedIn presence and word-of-mouth.

The business model is publicly funded rather than commercial: no fees are charged to job seekers or employers, and revenue derives from government appropriations routed through the collaborating municipalities and national labor-market programs in response to pandemic-era labor-market disruption. The entity has ceased independent operations in 2025, with service continuity transferred to the three regional Werkcentra that now operate under their own brands and websites.

Name

Het Noorden werkt door

Legal name

Het Noorden werkt door

Website

https://hetnoordenwerktdoor.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Het Noorden werkt door was a publicly funded regional partnership in Northern Netherlands connecting job seekers and employers through three Werkcentra in Groningen, Fryslân, and Drenthe, via free career coaching and labor-market services delivered by collaborating education, government, and employer organizations. The entity ceased operations in 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Employment Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry) (BPACAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local & Regional Generalist Staffing Agencies (BPACACAH)

Keywords

• Public employment services
• Career coaching
• Job placement assistance
• Regional workforce development
• Reintegration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Groningen/Noord-Drenthe

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: Het Noorden werkt door is a publicly funded regional collaboration between education (ROC, SBB), government (municipalities, RMC), and employers (MKB). The service is provided free of charge ('kosteloos') to all residents of Northern Netherlands, funded through government initiatives established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Het Noorden werkt door is a publicly funded regional collaboration that provides free employment services to residents of Northern Netherlands. Its core offering centers on personalized job coaching, career transition guidance, CV/sollicitatievoorbereiding, and connections to regional education and employer networks through three regional Werkcentra. Services are delivered free of charge via multi-disciplinary weekly team meetings combining UWV work advisors, career coaches from trade unions (FNV, CNV, VCP), educational institutions (ROC, SBB), and municipality staff.

Product overview

Het Noorden werkt door was a regional collaboration partnership (samenwerkingsverband) of education, entrepreneurs, and government (ROC, SBB, RMC, MKB, municipalities, and UWV) focused on connecting education, training, labor market, and employment opportunities in Northern Netherlands. The organization has now transitioned its services to three regional Werkcentra (Work Centers): Werkcentrum Groningen Noord-Drenthe, Werkcentrum Fryslân, and Werkcentrum Drenthe. These Work Centers provide the same services including job search assistance, career counseling, job coaching (including specialized coaching for neurodivergent individuals), reintegration support, education and training funding, employer services, and the STAP budget program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Werkcentrum Groningen Noord-Drenthe Regional Work Center serving job seekers and employers in the Groningen and northern Drenthe region of the Netherlands, offering the same services previously offered by Het Noorden werkt door including career coaching, CV/sollicitatievoorbereiding, neurodivergence job coaching, education and training pathways (BBL-opleiding), and employer matching.
• Werkcentrum Fryslân Regional Work Center serving job seekers and employers in the Friesland (Fryslân) province, providing career counseling, coaching, reintegration support, education and training funding, and connections to local employer networks.
• Werkcentrum Drenthe Regional Work Center serving job seekers and employers in the Drenthe province, offering job search assistance, career transition coaching, employer services, and access to UWV WERKbedrijf (Emmen) partner location.
• Werkgeversservicedienst (Employer Service) Employer-facing service connecting regional businesses in Northern Netherlands with qualified candidates from the Werkcentrum pipeline, facilitating personnel recruitment, workforce development, and sector-specific hiring support for employers.
• Neurodivergence Job Coaching Specialized job coaching service for neurodivergent individuals (ADHD, autism, dyslexia, high sensitivity, giftedness) providing workplace accommodation guidance, energy management support, and social/communication coaching. Designed for individuals needing specialized workplace support to succeed in employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cases often resolved within one week, sometimes same day
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ROC (Regional Training Centers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institutions forming the core tripartite collaboration. Provide vocational training, BBL-opleiding (work-based learning), and educational pathways for job seekers.
• SBB (Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration organization linking vocational education with businesses. Provides learning company placements and apprenticeship opportunities.
• UWV (Employee Insurance Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment employment agency providing work advisors, job matching, benefits administration, and access to employer networks via Werkgeversservicedienst. Multiple UWV advisors participate in weekly team meetings.
• Municipalities (Gemeenten)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional municipalities providing funding, local employment initiatives, and connections to residents needing support. Municipality Groningen contributes specialized neurodivergence coaches.
• RMC (Regionaal Meld- en Coördinatiecentrum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional reporting and coordination center for early school-leavers and young people not in education, work, or training (NEET).
• FNV (Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor trade union providing career coaches including Debbie Schouten and Ron Vonk. Offers courses like 'Grief from Job Loss' (Rouw bij verlies van werk) in collaboration with CNV.
• CNV (Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristian trade union participating in the collaboration, co-offering grief counseling courses with FNV.
• VCP (Vereniging van Contractamers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade union for professionals contributing career coaches including Christine to the Het Noorden werkt door network.
• WerkPromajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEmployment agency assisting with job seeker guidance. Job coach Ria Schuur helped Ritchie with career placement at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.
• Stam BVminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJob coaching company providing workplace guidance for the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. Liesbeth Dolstra serves as job coach for neurodivergent employees.
• Fryslân Werkt!minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional employment initiative that referred Henk to Het Noorden werkt door, exemplifying the collaborative network approach.
• UWV WERKbedrijfcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBranch of UWV providing direct job placement services. Eduard van Breeden (Leeuwarden) and Ben Westera (Emmen) featured as advisors connecting clients to Het Noorden werkt door services.
• MKB NoordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmall and medium business association representing employers in Northern Netherlands, contributing to workforce development initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• UWV (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen): Dutch national public employment agency and HNWD's primary collaboration partner. UWV provides work advisors, benefits administration, and the Werkgeversservicedienst that HNWD's model is built around; both serve job seekers with placement and coaching services.
• WerkPro: Dutch employment agency that provides job coaching and workplace support, including neurodivergence coaching. Listed as a direct implementation partner of HNWD, with overlapping service offerings for vulnerable job seekers.
• Stam BV: Dutch job coaching company providing workplace guidance, including for neurodivergent employees at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. Listed as an HNWD implementation partner with overlapping neurodiversity-at-work expertise.
• Gemeente (municipal) WERKbedrijf / Werkbedrijf loket: Municipal-level employment service counters in the Netherlands (often co-located with UWV WERKbedrijf). Provide the same free, publicly-funded job-matching and reintegration services as HNWD at a different geographic level.
• Fryslân Werkt!: Regional employment initiative in Friesland that refers job seekers to HNWD. Operates a similar regional, publicly-supported model connecting unemployed residents with work, education, and employer services.

Broad incumbents

• Adecco Nederland: Global staffing group with significant Dutch operations in permanent placement, temp staffing, and career transition services. Comparable to HNWD's placement outcomes but commercially funded and nationally scaled.
• Tempo-Team: Major Dutch staffing agency (part of Randstad group) offering permanent placement, temp staffing, and career support. Comparable to HNWD's job-matching function but with a commercial model and national reach.
• Werk.nl: National Dutch job-search platform operated by UWV. Functions as the digital backbone of public employment services in the Netherlands and competes for the same job-seeker audience HNWD serves in Northern Netherlands.
• Start People: Dutch staffing and recruitment firm focused on entry-level, reintegration, and regional employment programs. Operates in adjacent workforce-development segments with similar employer-matching functionality.
• Randstad Nederland: Largest Dutch staffing and HR services firm. Operates in the same employment-placement and career-coaching space as HNWD but at national scale and as a commercial, fee-based business serving both job seekers and employers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/het-noorden-werkt-door

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Het Noorden werkt door