Future trends and priorities of VET in the 21st century

During CEDEFOP’s workshop, which was a part of project “The changing nature and role of vocational education and training in Europe”, over 40 participants discussed the dynamically changing role and nature of VET.

Researchers, policy-makers, learning providers and other stakeholders gathered together from 20th to 21st of February, 2018 in Thessaloniki, Greece to share knowledge and exchange experiences about VET’s future at national level promoting cooperation on these matters in Europe.

The workshop “VET in the 21st century – Future trends and priorities” was followed by series of previous events in 2016 and 2017 and provided an opportunity to discuss how findings of the project’s different assignments can be synthesized and feed into the final part – a conference, which will be conducted in November, 2018.

The conclusions, presented at the workshop, can be summarized into two main topics:

Changes in vocational education and training  between 1995 and 2018:

• Expansion
• Change of qualifications (systems)

• Smoothening transition to labour market and enabling lifelong learning through close links with employers and  basic general and transversal skills
• State intervention at the expense of social partner involvement in some countries
• Companies withdrawing from offering places for apprentices/dual VET
• Declining participation
• Influence of European processes and instruments

Lessons for the next two decades, divided into areas:

• Guidance
• Governance and provision
• Meeting the needs for rapid change and long term stability and predictability
• Challenges and pitfalls

Find out more about the discussions during the workshop, changes in VET and lessons for the next two decades here.

Sources: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/events/vet-21st-century-future-trends-and-priorities