During his 25 years at Hoogendoorn Growth Management, René Beerkens has witnessed major changes in greenhouse automation. Greenhouses, once primarily designed to shield crops from the weather, have evolved into high-tech environments packed with sensors and data analysis tools, where growers work around the clock to create the perfect climate for their plants. "In the past, growers would simply keep the vents wide open from April to August during the day," René explains to Groen Kennisnet (link in Dutch). "Now, they are constantly fine-tuning the balance between humidity, temperature, CO₂, and light."
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This technological progress is also reshaping what the ideal grower looks like. Where deep plant knowledge and hands-on experience once defined the profession, today a technical background combined with an interest in plants is just as valuable. "We now train young people abroad, many of whom come from technical fields," René says. "They perform exceptionally well because they are used to making decisions based on data, and they are open to new ideas, which they immediately put into practice."
According to René, this shift is essential, because fewer people are entering the sector with a traditional horticultural background. "In the past, there was a steady flow of new talent from the agricultural sector, but today that's just a drop in the ocean. Nowadays, more than 60% of the people entering the sector worldwide come from a technical education."
