Education minister Jet Bussemaker plans to bring back the concept of apprenticeships at trade schools, in an effort to increase the standing of craftsmen and women.

Students who learn their trade via an apprenticeship programme will be entitled to call themselves ‘masters’ on completion, the minister said.

‘This educational principle has been used successfully since the Middle Ages to transfer knowledge from master to apprentice,’ Bussemaker said in a statement.

‘Our country is nothing without good trades people. The title of ‘master’ makes good craftsmanship visible and shows that people with a trade school (mbo) diploma can reach the best levels.’

At the moment, students studying crafts such as gold or silver-smithing can go on to a master title. But Bussemaker plans to extend this to media and game developers, among other subjects. She has set aside €25m to fund the scheme.