In response to a pressing need for more healthcare workers – particularly in care of the elderly – the Danish government has entered into a comprehensive agreement to bolster vocational training in the country. Reached with a broad coalition of parties in the Danish Parliament, the agreement is a proactive approach to tackling the imminent shortage of skilled professionals in the healthcare industry.
Signed in 2024, the agreement outlines a series of initiatives designed to improve the quality and accessibility of vocational training programmes, with a specific focus on ‘social and healthcare assistance’ (SOSU) study programmes. The overall purpose is to raise VET attractiveness and reduce VET dropout. These initiatives come at a critical juncture, as Denmark braces itself for a demographic shift marked by a significant increase in the elderly population, requiring a corresponding surge in healthcare personnel.
Key elements of the agreement
- Increased support for language learning. Acknowledging the diverse linguistic backgrounds of prospective students, the agreement allocates resources to ‘accommodate’ individual language learning needs for those pursuing SOSU courses.
- Allocation of substantial funding, expected to commence in 2025. A substantial annual investment, amounting to EUR 12 million (DKK 90 million) has been earmarked for a permanent increase in funding of SOSU programmes. The aim is to provide incentives to vocational schools to tailor their programmes to local needs.
- Exploration of wage compensation for learners of the age group 25 and above. The government plans to engage in tripartite negotiations to explore the possibility of providing financial compensation to learners, aged 25 and above, enrolled in the ‘social and health-care assistance’ study programmes.
- Long-term planning to address workforce shortages. Projections from the finance ministry indicate a potential shortage of up to 15 000 healthcare assistants and healthcare aides by 2035. To tackle this issue, the agreement sets the framework for long-term strategies to mitigate workforce shortages. This is expected to occur through targeted recruitment efforts and sustained investment in vocational training.
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Please cite this news item as: ReferNet Denmark; Cedefop (2024). Denmark: new political agreement for VET students in the healthcare sector. National news on VET |