Flexible training: Summa's certificate carousel makes vocational certificates more easily accessible

Summa's certificate carousel has proven to be a resounding success. This innovative educational concept offers professionals and career changers in the healthcare and welfare sector a flexible and efficient way to obtain a recognized vocational (MBO) certificate. Thanks to regular enrollment opportunities, participants can start almost immediately, without long waiting periods. The certificate carousel was inspired by an idea from the educational institution Firda and further tailored to the healthcare and welfare sector.

The subscription-based concept offers short courses of 5, 10, or 15 weeks, depending on the chosen vocational certificate. A new entry opportunity opens every five weeks, meaning participants don't have to wait months for sufficient registrations. This is particularly beneficial for healthcare workers, career changers, and those returning to the workforce who want to specialize or retrain. "With this carousel, we've organized our education much more efficiently," says Silvie Lambrechts, Healthcare & Welfare Training Advisor at Summa.

In the certificate carousel, participants learn in thematically organized learning communities, in which various healthcare professionals collaborate. “To be very concrete: for a theme like wound care, nurses, caregivers, and care assistants sit together in the classroom. They are of all ages, from 18 to over 67. This ensures lively interaction and a rich learning experience,” explains Ans van der Sluijs, Educational Leader for Lifelong Learning at Summa.

The learning groups are dynamic and small-scale, with a maximum of fourteen students and two instructors. This approach creates a personal and interactive learning environment. "One instructor explains, while the other practices with a small group of students. This makes the education less academic and more accessible to working people," says Van der Sluijs.

Summa currently offers a certificate carousel for both Healthcare and Welfare, with classes held on Monday and Wednesday mornings, respectively. Thanks to the flexible intake and the mix of different certificates, groups can be filled quickly. "Demand is high and registrations are going fast. That's why we're launching an additional carousel soon," says Lambrechts.

You can read more about the certificate carousel on our special page . It also explains how to register.

Summa is fully committed to making education more flexible, one of the strategic pillars of Summa2030. Flexible education is being introduced and continuously refined throughout the organization. The ultimate goal is to give all students the freedom to pursue their own personal learning path. This way, education optimally aligns with their talents, ambitions, and pace, and personalized learning becomes the new standard.