Easing Aruba's Brain Drain



August 19th 2011, Aruba.



ORANJESTAD-Every Summer the island says farewell to hundreds of students who leave for mainly
college education abroad. Most of Aruba's high school graduates choose The Netherlands to
continue their higher education. The tendency is that once these young Arubans obtain their
college degree abroad, the majority do not return immediately to the island. Many opt to stay
abroad to gain more experience in their job field, and or to repay back their high student loans
with the attractive salaries they receive.

A large number of Aruban companies and organizations have great interest in attracting the high
educated locals back from abroad. A group of young local professionals, established in The
Netherlands, believe they can contribute to make this happen. Flinx is a company in The
Netherlands managed by two Arubans and a colleague of Curacao, with the purpose of recruiting
locals in The Netherlands for companies in Aruba and other islands in the Dutch Caribbean. With
the support of the Aruban government, Flinx will organize their first big event in the Dutch city of
Rotterdam in December of 2011.

The purpose of the event is to create a platform in which companies in Aruba will have easy access
to local professionals, and students living The Netherlands. Thus creating a platform for Aruban
companies to meet with local professionals and vice versa. The event is named Aruba Recruitment
Event (ARE), and the preparations are in full gear.

The event will include information sessions on student loan repayment when working on the island,
and other topics on which many local professionals living abroad do not have much information of.
The intention is to have many of the high profile job positions on the island filled by locals, and or
to have them setup unique companies with fresh ideas that will contribute to the overall economy
of Aruba.