Efficient and sustainable and economies and societies need people with the skills to create and drive them. Change is accelerating, but the workforce that needs to manage and shape that change is ageing and shrinking. And while VET offers young and adult workers the opportunity to do so, it is still not always recognised and fully valued as a powerful twin transition driver.
The reality is that VET is for everyone - from those who need basic skills to find a job to those who need the skills at the highest levels. VET systems today are quite different from those in place 2 decades ago. VET has expanded beyond upper- and post-secondary levels. Higher level school-based programmes and apprenticeships are expanding, opening up to adults and are more and more used to train people for occupations that require higher level skills and qualifications. They also increasingly provide access to higher and tertiary level education and training. Learning opportunities for young people, migrants, ageing workers and those wanting to return to the labour market have expanded.
There is enormous need for specialised VET skills for the new tasks and occupations the digital and green economy are creating. Often, it is adults already in the workforce who will need to acquire them. VET is the best way to deliver such skills. VET and higher education institutions need to continue developing new, innovative and flexible ways to ensure people can easily access learning and promote the attractiveness of their programmes.
Related Cedefop publications
- Cedefop (2023). Ready, steady, go! Cedefop briefing note.
- Cedefop (2023). The future of work is learning: Cedefop in 2022.
- Cedefop (2019) The changing nature and role of vocational education and training in Europe. Volume 6 Vocationally oriented education and training at higher education levels.
- Cedefop (2023) Working together towards attractive, inclusive, innovative, agile and flexible VET. Cedefop briefing note.
- Cedefop (2019) The changing nature and role of vocational education and training in Europe. Volume 7: VET from a lifelong learning perspective: continuing VET concepts, providers and participants in Europe 1995-2015.
- Cedefop (2023) The future of vocational education and training in Europe: volume 4. Delivering lifelong learning: the changing relationship between IVET and CVET.
- Cedefop (2022). Too good to waste: tapping the potential of vocational education and training in the waste management sector Policy brief.
- Cedefop (2022) Looking back to look ahead: what is the future for VET in Europe? Briefing note.
- Cedefop (2021). The green employment and skills transformation -Insights from a European Green Deal skills forecast scenario.
- Cedefop (2022). An ally in the green transition. Cedefop briefing note.
- Cedefop and OECD (2022). Apprenticeships for greener economies and societies.