Terra MBO

About Terra MBO

DCTerra is a Dutch vocational education provider offering mbo and related learning pathways for students in the northern Netherlands. The school says learning is focused on the student's future: helping people discover who they are, what they can do, and where they want to go, with education that fits the individual and is delivered with guidance, clear explanations, and strong attention to practice.

The organisation serves students, parents, and regional employers. It combines classroom learning with practical assignments and internships, and it positions itself as a school that prepares learners for further study or work while staying close to home in accessible locations across Groningen, Exloo, Assen, Emmen, and Meppel.

Core Values

• Dare to do: DCTerra emphasizes learning by doing. Students are encouraged to try things, discover what fits them, and build confidence through practice in school, at work placements, and beyond.
• Go for growth: The school presents itself as a community of "Sterkmakers" who inspire and support one another. Teachers know students personally and guide both their vocational and personal development.
• Together for success: DCTerra focuses on helping students take the next step with confidence, whether that is further study, work, or another route. The school aims to align what is learned in class with what is needed in real life.
• Regional commitment: Its education is tied to the region, with an emphasis on accessible locations and learning that contributes to the future of the local area.

Unique Aspects

• One school formed from Drenthe College and Terra MBO: DCTerra states that Drenthe College and Terra MBO now operate under one name, reflecting a combined identity.
• DNA collaboration with Noorderpoort and Alfa-college: DCTerra works with Noorderpoort and Alfa-college in a regional education collaboration that gives students more choice, more workplace learning opportunities, and learning environments where school and work come together.
• DNA Next for adult learning: Its adult retraining and upskilling offer is bundled with the same two partners under the DNA Next platform, creating a broader regional continuing-education offer.
• Strong regional footprint: The organisation operates across multiple locations in Groningen, Exloo, Assen, Emmen, and Meppel, and explicitly positions this as education close to where students live.
• Practice-based learning with employer involvement: DCTerra stresses real assignments and cooperation with companies and organisations in the region, so students learn in settings that mirror actual work.