COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT […] Accompanying the Commission Proposal for a Council Recommendation on vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience
Date: 2020-07-01
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: competitiveness, cooperation in the field of education, digital single market, education, education policy, epidemic, infectious disease, labour market, sustainable development, vocational training

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 1.7.2020  SWD(2020) 123 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT […] Accompanying the Commission Proposal for a  Council Recommendation on vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience                 {COM(2020) 275 final}  
 
 
Contents 
1. 
2. 

3. 

Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................. 2 
Political context ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 
2.1.  VET policy in Europe .................................................................................................................................... 9 
State of play of VET .......................................................................................................................................... 13 
3.1.  Prevalence, benefits and outcomes of VET ................................................................................. 13 
3.2.  Member States progress towards common (Riga) priorities .............................................. 21 
3.2.1. 
Priority 1 - Promote work-based learning in all its forms, with special attention 
to apprenticeships.............................................................................................................................................. 22 
Priority  2  -  develop  quality  assurance  mechanisms  in  VET  and  continuous 
3.2.2. 
information and feedback loops ................................................................................................................ 24 
Priority 3 - access to VET and qualifications for all ...................................................... 26 
3.2.3. 
Priority 4 – strengthen key competences............................................................................ 28 
3.2.4. 
3.2.5. 
Priority  5  -  initial  and  continuous  professional development  of  VET  teachers, 
trainers and mentors ........................................................................................................................................ 29 
3.3.  Overview of EU support ......................................................................................................................... 30 
Legal acts ............................................................................................................................................ 31 
3.3.1. 
Fostering exchanges and mutual learning ......................................................................... 39 
3.3.2. 
Policy initiatives ................................................................................................................................ 40 
3.3.3. 
3.3.4. 
EU funding and support programmes ................................................................................... 42 
Potential scenarios (policy options) for developing further Union policy on VET ............. 47 
4.1.  Presentation of the potential scenarios ........................................................................................ 47 
4.2.  Assessment and conclusions of potential scenarios (policy options) ............................ 51 
5.  Key elements of the Proposal ..................................................................................................................... 52 
5.1.  Preparatory work for the proposal – consultations and evidence ................................... 52 
5.2.  Vision and actions for modernization of VET at national level ......................................... 57 
Integration of ECVET and EQAVET – future of the tools....................................................... 61 
5.3. 
5.4.  EU support initiatives .............................................................................................................................. 63 
Platforms of Centres of Vocational Excellence ................................................................ 63 
5.4.1. 
Support services for VET .............................................................................................................. 69 
5.4.2. 
EQAVET Peer Reviews .................................................................................................................... 70 
5.4.3. 
5.4.4. 
European Vocational Core Profiles ......................................................................................... 71 
5.4.5.  Capacity building of providers of vocational education and training ................... 71 
SELFIE tool for VET schools and work-based learning ................................................. 72 
5.4.6. 
5.5.  Monitoring and indicators for the VET policy framework ..................................................... 74 
6.  Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................ 81 

4. 

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1.  INTRODUCTION  

Skills  are  critical  to  ensure  competitiveness,  innovation  capacity  and  social  cohesion  in 
Europe.  Vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  is  the  sector  of  education  and  training 
closest  to  labour  market  and  is  at  the  forefront  of  providing  skills  and  qualifications,  to 
successfully  drive  forward  the  digital  and  green  transitions.  It  supports  young  people  to 
make  the  transition  to  work,  and  adults  to  remain  employable  throughout  their  working 
lives and adaptable to changing tasks, work environments and career evolution. Given the 
overall  economic  and  societal  trends  and  the  EU  ambition  to  become  the  first  climate 
neutral continent by 2050, the importance of continuing training for the workforce and the 
need for up-skilling and reskilling is growing. 

In  2018,  48.4  %  of  young  Europeans  were  enrolled  in  upper-secondary  education  and 
training (at upper secondary level). Following a vocational education and training pathway 
opens up good employability perspectives on the labour market: 80% of VET graduates find 
their first long-term job within six month of finishing their studies. Meanwhile, all people of 
working age living in the EU need to engage into further vocational training to keep up with 
changes on the labour market, but less than half of them do so. 

Traditionally, VET programmes were seen to prepare individuals for jobs in medium-skilled 
occupations. Even if declining, such occupations continue to represent the largest share of 
jobs currently available in the labour market. However, the need for higher skills also paved 
the way for expansion of VET qualifications to higher levels. Based on Cedefop employment 
projections, job openings requiring medium-level qualification will continue to represent the 
largest share of all job-openings (46% of all job openings over the period of 2016-2030), 
closely followed in number by job-openings requiring high-level of qualification (43% of all 
job-openings).1 

However,  the  COVID-19  pandemic  has  seriously  disrupted  standard  learning  activities  in 
education  and  training  systems  including  for  VET  across  Europe.  Despite  the  fact  that 
Member States have quickly moved towards digital learning solutions, the outbreak has put 
the resilience of the system to a test. The situation in VET was further aggravated by the 
fact  that  practical  learning  –  in  form  of  work-based  learning  and  apprenticeships  –  has 
been suspended in most sectors.2  

The  transition  to  a  digital  and  climate-neutral  economy  will  have  a  massive  impact  on 
sectors  that  traditionally  rely  on  VET  graduates,  whether  in  the  energy  production  sector, 
transport, construction, or manufacturing, to name just a few. At the same time, forecasts 
also  show  positive  projections  for  job  creation  linked  to  decarbonisation  process  both  in 

1 Cedefop (2018) Skills forecast. Trends and challenges up to 2030. These forecasts assume no changes in 
skills  requirements  within  occupations  (high  skills  for  ISCO1-3,  medium  skills  for  ISCO4-8,  low  skills  for 
ISCO9). The forecasts were produced before the COVID-19-outbreak. 
2https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/cedefop_community_apprenticeship_experts_synthesis_how_are_europe
an_countries_managing_apprenticeships_to_respond_to_the_coronavirus_crisis.pdf 

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industry and services that employ traditionally VET graduates, including construction, waste 
management. 

However, current systems do not seem fit to address the skills challenge raised by the deep 
changes triggered by digitalisation and move to a climate-neutral economy. The numbers 
of young people choosing VET are decreasing and the take up and offer of upskilling and 
reskilling of the workforce is very low.  Demographic trends show that employers can not 
rely  solely  on  new  generations  to  take  up  new  job  opportunities,  but  they  need  to 
increasingly tap into the talent of all people of working age by supporting their continuing 
vocational  education  and  training.  Investments  in  continuing  vocational  education  and 
training  are  not  alligned  with  the  scale  of  the  challenge  to  support  the  green  and  digital 
transitions  through  upskilling  and  reskilling.  Access  to  quality  vocational  education  and 
training is uneven and exposure to work based learning seen as a pre-requisite to enhance 
the labour market relevance of VET programmes is far from being the norm across the EU. 
The European Semester put a strong focus year after year on the need to support structural 
reforms  in  vocational  education  and  training,  and  recently  more  attention  is  put  to  boost 
continuing vocational education and training. 

The  economic  recovery  from  the  COVID-19  outbreak  is  an  opportunity  to  accelerate 
reforms in VET and strengthen its resilience, notably by digitalising learning tools and agile 
adaptation to changing labour market needs. This includes paying attention to the need to 
ensure  access  to  digital  tools  and  technologies  for  every  learner,  teacher  and  trainer,  as 
well  as  appropriate  guidance  measures.  Digital  tools  such  as  simulators,  virtual  and 
augmented reality have the potential to increase the accessibility and efficiency of training, 
notably  to  small  and  medium-sized  companies  providing  apprenticeship  places.  Inter-
company training centres and Centres of Vocational Excellence can also play an important 
role here.  

The pandemic is expected to lead to the deepest recession in  the EU’s history and young 
people entering the workforce at this time will find it harder to secure their first job3. Earlier 
crises  have  shown  that  young  people  are  indeed  likely  to  be  hit  hardest.  Further 
strengthening VET systems is therefore crucial for the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, as 
VET  has  proven  an  essential  part  of  the  efforts  to  support  youth  employment  in  the 
previous  economic  and  financial  crisis4.  Notably  apprenticeships,  work-based  learning,  but 
also  short-term  VET  programmes  targeting  unemployed,  proved  to  be  a  pathway  to 
increased  employability  and  easier  access  or  return  to  the  labour  market.  The  present 
proposal  contributes  to  a  high  quality  of  the  offers,  in  particular,  for  apprenticeships  and 
other vocational programmes, made under the Youth Guarantee by ensuring labour market 
relevance,  digitalisation  and  environmental  sustainability  of  VET.  It  will  also  call  for 
reinforced  support  for  apprenticeships  reforms  and  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships 
to renew and boost commitments for quality and affective apprenticeships opportunities. 

Modernisation of VET systems is also warranted as the world of work and skills is changing. 
On-going  developments  such  as  automation  and  digitalisation  of  production  and  services 
continue to reshape the labour markets. In addition, the broader twin transitions towards a 

3 European Economic Forecast, Spring 2020. Institutional paper 125, May 2020. European Commission. 
4 Employment rates of graduates from vocational education and training was gradually increasing from 73% 
in 2013 to 79,5% in 2018  

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more  digital  and  greener  economy  will  require  VET  to  adapt  to  ensure  that  VET  learners 
acquire the skills needed for the green and digital transitions while also reconfirming and 
strengthening the central role of VET in the lifelong learning continuum.  

The Common Union vocational training policy as defined in the Treaty of Rome, has been 
taken forward by the launch of the Copenhagen process in 2002 bringing together Member 
States,  social  partners,  Commission  and  supported  also  by  associations  of  providers  of 
vocational education  and training. The enhanced cooperation  on vocational education  and 
training has been driven by series of Ministerial meetings which have defined priorities in a 
form  of  Declarations  and  Communiqués,  notably  the  2010  Bruges  Communiqué  and  the 
2015  Riga  Conclusions. The  aims  and  priorities  pursued  under  this  process contributed  to 
the objectives set out in the Strategic framework for education and training (ET2020), and 
the 2016 Skills Agenda gave a further strong boost to the Union VET policy.  

In addition, as part of  the VET policy framework, two specific  VET instruments have been 
developed and implemented since 2009 to support Member States in improving the quality 
of their VET systems (the European Quality Assurance Reference Framework in Vocational 
Education  and  Training   -  EQAVET)  and  in  making  VET  more  flexible  (the  European  Credit 
System  for  Vocational  Education  and  Training  -  ECVET).  Recent  evaluation  of  these  two 
instruments  show  areas  where  they  have  had  a  positive  impact  and  areas  where  their 
impact  has  been  more  limited.  They  also  indicate  the  need  to  enhance  the  articulation 
between  these  two  instruments  and  the  overarching  VET  policy  agenda  as  well  as  the 
broader  skills  and  qualifications  instruments  such  as  the  European  Qualifications 
Framework (EQF) and the Europass. 

With the policy framework for European cooperation in education and training and specific 
priorities  for  VET  ending  in  2020,  there  is  an  opportunity  to  define  a  new  and  more 
ambitious Union policy on VET that responds to the challenges described above. The overall 
objective  should  be  to  modernise  the  EU’s  VET  policy  to  meet  the  large  upskilling  and 
reskilling  needs  driven  by  the  common  ambition  to  be  fit  for  the  challenges  of  the  21st 
century, in particular to become a climate neutral Europe and to support the recovery from 
the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The proposal for a Council Recommendation on vocational education and training (VET) for 
sustainable  competitiveness,  social  fairness  and  resilience  was  announced  in  the 
Communication "A Strong Social Europe for Just Transitions" of 14 January 20205. It is an 
important  part  of  the  ongoing  implementation  of  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights 
strengthening principle 1 “education, training and lifelong learning”. 

The  new  VET  policy  agenda  places  VET  at  the  core  of  the  lifelong  learning  continuum, 
strongly interlinked to all other education and training sectors, while also being a driver for 
innovation,  competitiveness,  employment  and  social  cohesion  policies.  Therefore,  the 
proposal is firmly embedded in other upcoming Commission’s policy initiatives, notably the 
sustainable 
Commission  Communication  on 

the  European  Skills  Agenda 

for 

5  
final. 

Communication  from  the  Commission  A  Strong  Social  Europe  for  Just  Transitions,  COM(2020)  14 

4 

 
 
                                              
competitiveness,  social  fairness  and  resilience6,  on  the  Communication  on  Youth 
Employment  Support  -  A  Bridge  to  Jobs  for  the  next  generation7,  the  Digital  Education 
Action Plan, the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 
2020), and the European Education Area, which cover all levels and types of education and 
training. 

At the same time it is an opportunity to consolidate the existing VET policy framework at 
European  level  by  integrating  policy  agenda,  EU  VET  instruments,  governance  structures 
and working methods in one single legal act. This will increase the visibility of VET policy at 
European  level  and  serve  as  a  single  point  of  reference  and  a  blueprint  for  VET 
modernisation. 

The proposal also responds to a call addressed to the European Commission from Member 
States and social partners in the Opinion of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training 
to  prepare  a  proposal  to  streamline  and  consolidate  the  EU  VET  policy  framework, 
in  a  form  of  an  overarching  Council 
governance  and  existing  EU 
Recommendation on VET.   

instruments 

Scope of the proposal 

The  Commission  Proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  VET  for  sustainable 
competitiveness, social fairness and resilience aims at renewing the EU’s VET policy by: 

a)  modernising the Union policy on VET supporting the transitions to a green and 
digital economy in times of demographic change as well as upward convergence of 
national VET systems. Given the crucial role VET and, in particular, apprenticeships 
play  in  improving  employability,  the  proposed  modernisation  will  equally  support 
the fight against youth unemployment. It will also include the increased use of 
digital  tools  and  continued  digitalisation  of  VET  systems,  which  will  contribute  to 
increasing their resilience. 

b)  confirming the central role of VET in the lifelong learning continuum and its 
strong  links  to  all  education  and  training  sectors,  which  calls  for  permeability  and 
transparency, 

c)  streamlining  the  European  cooperation  process  in  the  field  of  VET  by 
integrating  and  adapting  the  instruments  for  VET  quality  assurance  (EQAVET)  and 
flexibility and tailored provision (ECVET),  

d)  simplifying  VET  governance  at  Union  level  (related  to  integrated  ECVET  and 
EQAVET  Recommendations)  and  defining  the  working  methods,  types  of  support 
activities at Union level and a monitoring framework to assess progress towards the 
implementation  of  this  Recommendation,  in  full  coherence  with  the  broader 
governance framework for education and training, 

Concretely, for actions to be taken at national level, the new elements are the following: 

  Underlining the crucial role VET systems play for the young people entering 
the  labour  market  and  adding  that  VET  systems  should  play  an  equally  important 
role for the adults in need of continous up- and reskilling; 

6  

7  

COM(2020)274 final 

COM(2020)276 final 

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  Granting VET providers a level of autonomy to allow them to react quickly to 
skills  challenges,  offer  fast  reskilling  programmes  and  work  in  close  partnerships 
with employers;  

  Modularising  VET  programmes  and  expanding  them  to  higher  levels  of 

qualifications and microcredentials; 

  Linking  VET  to  forward-looking  economic  strategies  and  innovation 

systems; 

  Promoting  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence  (through  Erasmus+)  linked  to 
smart  specialisation  strategies  and  offering  innovative  services  that  include 
business incubators, support to start ups and technology  diffusion in particular  for 
small  and  medium-sized  enterprises  (SMEs),  to  make  VET  resilient  and  fit  for 
increased digitalisation,  digital readiness and to foster transition from sectors that 
are in decline to new growing sectors; 

  Embedding  environmental  and  social  sustainability  into  VET  curricula  and 

organisational management; 

  Ensuring better permeability between the systems of education and training; 
  Against  the  backdrop  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  increasing  the  digital 
readiness  of  VET  institutions,  by  promoting  new  learning  environments,  tools 
and  pedagogies  in  particular  linked  to  digitalisation,  catering  for  both  VET  specific 
and  transversal  curricula  and  content,  and  by  including  the  digitalisation  aspect  in 
the EQAVET framework; 
Increasing  attractiveness  of  VET  for  learners  and  companies,  including  micro, 
small  and  medium-sized,  including  through  internationalisation  and  increased 
opportunities  for  mobility  of  learners  and  staff  through  the  Erasmus+  programme 
and other funding opportunities; 

 

  Addressing  gender  bias  and  gender  stereotypical  choices  and  supporting  diversity 

and inclusiveness; 

  Defining  a  set  of  indicators  and  objectives  to  enable  both  quantitative  and 
qualitative monitoring of performance of vocational education and training systems. 

In  addition  to  reconfirming  the  role  of  the  tripartite  Advisory  Committee  on  Vocational 
Training (ACVT), the proposal also puts forward the following new elements at EU: 

  Providing support service that caters for the various dimensions of VET systems 
(e.g.  apprenticeships,  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence,  continuing  vocational 
education  and  training,  quality  assurance),  bringing  together  the  management  of 
several separate support structures (EQAVET and ECVET secretariats, apprenticeship 
support services, expert working groups; 

  Supporting  the  digital  readiness  of  VET  institutions  through  the  reinforced 
deployment  of  the  SELFIE  tool  and  its  gradual  extension  to  cater  for  work  based 
learning 8;  

8 SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the use of Innovative Educational Technologies) is 
a free, easy-to-use, customisable tool to help schools assess where they stand with learning in the digital age. 
It has been designed by JRC with the aim to help schools embed digital technologies into teaching, learning 
and  student  assessment.  It  can  highlight  what’s  working  well,  where  improvement  is  needed  and  what  the 
priorities  should  be.  The  tool  is  currently  available  in  the  24  official  languages  of  the  European  Union  with 

6 

 
                                              
 
  Promoting European VET as a global reference point in skills development 
and  boosting  mobility  and  recognition  of  vocational  education  and  training 
qualifications/diplomas  and  the  outcomes  of  learning  periods  abroad,  including 
through  development  of  the  concept  of  the  European  Vocational  Core  Profiles  as 
part of Europass platform and complemented, where possible, by vocational digital 
content;  
Introducing  a  peer  review  process  on  quality  assurance  in  VET  to  support 
upward convergence in quality, transparency and mutual trust. 

 

2.  POLITICAL CONTEXT  

Climate  change,  environmental  degradation  and  tehcnological  development  will  have  a 
major  impact  on  our  societies  and  our  way  of  life,  which  will  lead  to  radical 
transpormations. These transformations present both opportunities and challenges for the 
EU’s economy, industry and citizens: jobs will disappear and new ones will be created, and 
the existing ones will undergo change requiring new skills and a high degree of adaptability 
from the individuals. At the same time, the European population is aging and is becoming 
more and more diverse. Employment increasingly concentrated in urban centres and rural 
depopulation  create  difficulties  in  optimal  provision  of  services  including  education  and 
training and infrastructures (e.g. broadband) in remote areas. Opportunities  for  continuing 
learning,  beyond  the  initial  education  and  training,  are  critical  to  cope  with  the  changing 
nature of and fluctuating demand for work.  

Vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  is  the  sector  of  education  and  training  closest  to 
labour  market and is the most important sector  in  providing labour  market relevant skills 
and  qualifications  to  both  young  people  to  make  the  transition  to  work  and  to  adults 
throughout their working life to remain employable and adaptable to changing tasks, work 
environments  and  career  demands.  With  the  overall  economic  and  societal  trends  and 
challenges,  the  importance  of  continuing  training  for  the  workforce  and  the  need  for  up-
skilling and reskilling is growing. 

The  scale  of  the  challenge  is  significant.  The  numbers  of  young  people  choosing  VET  is 
decreasing, while the EU is far from attaining its current very modest participation target of 
15% of 25-64 year olds engaging in learning in the past  four weeks. There is therefore a 
need to define a new and more ambitious policy agenda for the next decade to help the EU 
remain  competitive  and  socially  cohesive,  to  meet  the  goals  of  its  industrial,  green, 
innovation and digital strategies, and to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

In  response  to  the  COVID-19  crisis,  the  Commission  has  proposed  a  bold  and 
comprehensive plan to repair and prepare for the next generation. The plan presents 
a roadmap on how to kick-start the European economy, protect and create jobs, boost the 
green  and  digital  transitions,  and  make  it  fairer,  more  resilient  and  more  sustainable  for 

more languages to be added over time. SELFIE gathers – anonymously – the views of students, teachers and 
school leaders on how technology is used in their school. This is done using short statements and questions 
and  a  simple  1-5  agreement  scale.  The  statements  cover  areas  such  as  leadership,  infrastructure,  teacher 
training  and  students’  digital  competence.  The  results  of  the  self-assessment  can  be  used  strategically  at 
system or institutional level to deploy follow-up capacity building and infrastructure investments, in line with 
the gaps identified. 

7 

 
                                                                                                                                             
future  generations.  It  underlines  that  improving  and  adapting  skills,  knowledge  and 
competences has become all the more important.  

The Next Generation EU9 will raise new financiing on the financial markets for 2021-2024 
for  the  the  newly  proposed  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility10  and  REACT-EU11.  Both 
programme will include investments in skills, education and training to lay the basis for 
a green, digital and resilient recovery. The Commission has also adjusted its proposals for 
the  future  European  Social  Fund  Plus  to  give  even  stronger  support  to  for  youth 
employment measures and education and skills. 

As part of the Recovery Strategy, the Commission has also proposed to provide substantial 
additional funding of EUR 30 billion for the Just Transition Fund, bringing the total to EUR 
40  billion.  This  funding  will  be  used  to  alleviate  the  socio-economic  impacts  of  the 
transition  towards  climate  neutrality  in  the  regions  most  affected,  for  example,  by 
supporting the re-skilling of workers.12 

This links in with the European Green Deal, which is the EU’s new  growth strategy that 
aims  to  transform  the  EU  into  a  fair  and  prosperous  society,  with  a  modern,  resource-
efficient and competitive economy where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases 
in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. Investing in a  more 
circular economy has the potential to create at least 700,000 new jobs by 2030 and help 
the EU to reduce its dependency on external suppliers and increase its resilience to global 
supply issues. The upcoming Renovation Wave will focus on creating jobs in construction, 
renovation and other labour-intensive industries.13 The transitions in these areas lead to an 
increased need in re- and upskilling. VET programmes can play a key role in delivering on 
these skills.  

The  Commission  also  adopted  a  New  Industrial  Strategy  for  Europe14  to  address  the 
twin challenge of the green and the digital transitions. It calls for decisive action to make 
lifelong learning a reality for all and ensure that education and training keep pace with the 
twin  transitions.  It  also  calls  on  higher  education  and  VET  to  provide  more  scientists, 
engineers  and  technicians  for  the  labour  market.  Equally,  the  SME  Strategy  for  a 
sustainable  and  digital  Europe  highlights  how  an  increasing  number  of  SMEs  is 
confronted with the challenge of finding the necessary skills and the fact that availability 
of skilled staff or experienced managers remains the most important problem for a quarter 
of SMEs in  the European Union15. VET is particularly relevant for  SMEs to make sure that 
their workforce has the skills needed on the labour market.  

The opportunities and challenges of the ongoing digital transformation and Europe’s policy 
response  have  been  outlined  in  the  strategy  Shaping  Europe’s  Digital  Future,  which 
highlights the need to invest in education and training and digital skills of all Europeans.  

9 COM(2020) 456 final 
10 COM(2020) 408 final 
11 COM (2020) 451 final 
12 COM (2020) 442 final 
13 COM(2020) 456 final 
14 COM(2020) 102 final 
15 COM(2020) 103 final 

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The  Commission  Communication  on  ‘A  Strong  Social  Europe  for Just  Transition’16 
sets out the road towards an Action Plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights. 
It presents EU level initiatives that support the implementation of the Pillar and launches a 
broad discussion with all EU countries, and regions, and with all our partners. To place skills, 
employability  and  human  capital  centre  stage,  the  Commission  is  coming  with  the 
reinforced Skills Agenda. The Communication also sets out that The  Commission will also 
further  develop  the  objectives  of  the  European  Education  Area  -  to  make  it  easier  for 
learners to move across borders in Europe and will improve access to quality and inclusive 
education  and  training  for  all-  and  establish  a  new  education  and  training  cooperation 
framework with the Member States covering all education and training sectors. 

2.1.  VET policy in Europe 

According  to  the  Charter  of  Fundamental  rights  of  the  European  Union17,  Article  14, 
everyone  has  the  right  to  education  and  to  have  access  to  vocational  and  continuing 
training. The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)18, Article 156, specify 
that  the  Commission  shall  encourage  cooperation  between  Member  States  and  facilitate 
the  coordination  of  their  action  in  all  social  policy  fields  including  employment  and  basic 
and  advanced  vocational  training,  while  fully  respecting  the  responsibility  of  the  Member 
States for the content and organisation of vocational training. Article 165 states clearly the 
responsibility  of  Member  States  for  the  content  of  teaching  and  the  organisation  of 
education  systems,  but  also  that  the  EU  shall  contribute  to  the  development  of  quality 
education  by  encouraging  cooperation  between  Member  States  and,  if  necessary,  by 
supporting  and  supplementing  their  action.  Article  166  of  the  TFEU  calls  on  the  Union  to 
implement a vocational training policy which should support and supplement the action of 
the Member States, while fully respecting the responsibility of the Member States for the 
content  and  organisation  of  vocational  training.  The  Union  actions  should  facilitate 
adaptation  to  industrial  changes  and  improve  initial  and  continuing  vocational  training  in 
order  to  facilitate  vocational  integration  and  reintegration  into  the  labour  market.  Strong 
vocational  policies  are  also  essential  in  order  to  achieve  the  goal  of  promoting  a  skilled, 
trained and adaptable workforce and labour markets responsive to economic change, set in 
Article 145 TFEU. 

The  Copenhagen  Declaration,  adopted  as  a  Council  Resolution19  in  2002  launched  the 
European strategy for  enhanced cooperation in  vocational education and training (VET)  to 
improve  cooperation,  promote  mobility  and  increase  the  transparency  and  recognition  of 
competences  and  qualifications  (‘Copenhagen  process’)  as  voluntary  process  of  an  open 
method of coordination. The process has been steered by the tripartite Advisory Committee 
on Vocational Training (ACVT) established in 1963 and Director-Generals for VET. 

Furthermore,  VET  policy  framework  at  EU  level  is  supported  by  different  expert  and 
stakeholders  bodies  such  as  the  Expert  group  of  EU  providers  association  of  vocational 
education  and  training,  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships,  groups  related  to  the 

16 COM(2020) 14 final 
17 OJ C 326, 26.10.2012 
18 OJ C 326, 26.10.2012, 
19 OJ C 13, 18.1.2003 

9 

 
                                              
implementation of the ECVET and EQAVET Recommendations, the ET 2020 Working Group 
on VET and adult learning. 

The Europass Decision20 was adopted in 2004, seeking to support the transparency of skills 
and  qualifications  by  providing  instruments  to  individuals,  namely  a  portfolio  of  5 
standardised  Europass  document  templates  which  facilitated  the  communication  and 
understanding of skills and qualifications in a consistent way. The European Qualifications 
Framework  for  lifelong  learning  (EQF)21  was  established  in  2008  through  a  European 
Parliament  and  Council  Recommendation  with  the  aim  to  improve  the  transparency, 
comparability  and  portability  of  people’s  qualifications  in  Europe.  The  Recommendation 
created a common reference framework of eight European generic levels of learning where 
each level was defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence.  

With  intensive  cooperation  with  Member  States  and  social  partners,  two  specific  VET 
instruments  were  developed  and  established  in  2009  through  Recommendations  of  the 
Council  and  the  European  Parliament.  The  European  Quality  Assurance  Reference 
Framework for Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET22) set a reference framework to 
support Member States in improving the quality of their VET systems and to contribute to 
increased  transparency  of  VET  policy  developments  between  Member  States,  thereby 
promoting mutual trust, mobility of workers and learners, and lifelong learning. The purpose 
of  the  European  Credit  System  for  Vocational  Education  and  Training  (ECVET23)  was  to 
make  VET  learning  pathways  more  flexible,  allowing  learners  to  obtain  qualifications  by 
accumulating  credit  (assessed  units  of  learning  outcomes)  earned  in  different  locations, 
settings and timeframes.  

After the financial crisis and against the backdrop of high youth unemployment rates, the 
conclusions  of  the  November  2010  Council  underlined  the  important  contribution  VET 
systems can potentially make to the Europe 2020 strategy24. The Bruges Communiqué25 in 
2010 recognised the urgency to invest in high quality vocational training and promoted a 
set  of  actions  to  increase  the  quality  of  VET  in  the  following  decade.  The  Council 
Recommendation  of  20 December 2012  on  the  validation  of  non-formal  and  informal 
learning26  invited  Member  States  to  put  in  place  arrangements  for  validating  non-formal 
and informal learning linked to national qualifications frameworks and enable individuals to 
obtain  full  or  partial  qualifications  on  the  basis  of  validated  learning  outcomes  acquired 
outside  formal  education  and  training  systems.  The  Riga  Conclusions27  in  2015  identified 
five medium-term priority areas in which vocational training could be further improved until 
2020.  The  focus  was  placed  on  promoting  work-based  learning,  quality  assurance, 
enhanced  access  to  VET,  the  strengthening  of  key  competences  and  the  professional 
development of VET trainers.  

20 OJ L 112, 2.5.2018 
21 OJ C 111, 6.5.2008, p.1. 
22 OJ C 155, 8.7.2009 
23 OJ C 155, 8.7.2009 
24 OJ C 119, 28.5.2009 
25 https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/content/bruges-communique 
26 OJ C 398, 22.12.2012, p. 1. 
27 https://www.izm.gov.lv/images/RigaConclusions_2015.pdf 

10 

 
                                              
The 2016 New Skills Agenda for Europe28 reconfirmed the Riga priorities and identified 10 
areas  for  action.  As  part  of  its  priorities  for  action  ‘Making  VET  a  first  choice’,  the  Skills 
Agenda proposed the possible  revision of the EQAVET and the  ECVET in  order  to increase 
the attractiveness of VET through quality provision and flexible organisation. Furthermore, it 
highlighted  the  need  to  support  opportunities  for  learners  to  undertake  a  work-based 
learning  experience  as  part  of  their  studies,  and  a  Recommendation  on  the  European 
framework  for  quality  and  effective  apprenticeships29  (EFQEA)  which  was  adopted  by  the 
Council in 2018.  

The  proposal  of  the  Skills  Agenda  to  gain  better  information  on  the  labour  market 
outcomes  or  learning  progression  of  higher  education  and  VET  graduates  lead  to  the 
Council  Recommendation  on  tracking  graduates30  adopted  in  2017.  The  Recommendation 
calls  upon  Member  States  to  improve  the  availability  and  quality  of  data  about  VET  and 
higher education graduate outcomes by 2020.  

The Skills Agenda also proposed the revision of the Europass framework. The new Decision 
of the European Parliament and the Council on Europass31, adopted in 2018, establishes a 
platform  that  will  offer  an  e-Portfolio  tool  for  users  (e.g.  job-seekers,  learners)  to  store 
information on their skills and qualifications, create CVs and applications. It serves as a web 
portal  with  information  on  qualifications  and  qualification  systems,  guidance,  validation, 
recognition and other topics related to skills and qualifications to help Europass users. The 
new  Europass  service 
(e.g.  digital 
supports  use  of  authentication 
signatures/certificates)  to  reflect  the  increasing  use  of  digital  technology  to  exchange 
information.  The  framework  for  digitally  signed  credentials  supports  authentication  of  a 
diverse  range  of  credentials  over  time  e.g.  qualifications,  course  credentials,  records  of 
experience,  certification  of  skills,  recognition  statements.  It  is  important  to  note  that  the 
Europass  service  for  digitally  signed  credentials  does  not  replace  quality  assurance, 
accreditation or other national public or private systems but offers technical solutions that 
issuers,  holders  and  recipients  of  digital  credentials  can  use.  The  technical  framework  is 
built on open standards and is made available for use on a voluntary basis, free-of-charge 
to users.  

services 

to 

improve 

The  Skills  Agenda  also  initiated  the  revision  of  EQF.  The  revised  European  Qualifications 
Framework  Recommendation32,  adopted  in  2018,  consolidates  the  purpose  of  the  EQF, 
transparency,  comparability  and  portability  of  people’s 
namely 
qualifications.  In  addition,  it  outlines  in  its  Annex  IV  the  quality  assurance  principles  for 
qualifications that are part of national qualifications frameworks or systems referenced to 
the  EQF.  Annex  V  of  the  Recommendation  outlines  principles  for  credit  systems  that  are 
related to NQFs referenced to the EQF. 

the 

28 COM(2016) 381 final  
29  Council  Recommendation  on  a  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships,  OJ  C  153, 
2.5.2018 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32018H0502%2801%29  
30 OJ C 423, 9.12.2017  
31 OJ L112, 2.5.2018  
32 OJ C 189, 15.6.2017  

11 

 
                                              
The priorities of the 2016 New Skills Agenda are highly relevant for the first principle of the 
European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights33  proclaimed  in  2017  and  they  are  also  supporting  the 
objectives  of  the  European  Education  Area  by  2025  launched  in  2017,  notably  on 
‘improving  the  inclusive,  lifelong-learning  based  and  innovation-driven  nature  of  the 
education and training systems’.  

The  Blueprint  for  sectoral  cooperation  on  skills  is  a  new  strategic  approach  to  mobilise 
stakeholders to develop demand-led sectoral skills strategies in Europe. It provides a strong 
basis  to  launch  larger  efforts.  To  date  it  has  been  piloted  in  additive  manufacturing; 
automotive; batteries; bio-economy; construction; defence technologies; energy value chain 
digitalisation  and  energy-intensive  industries;  space;  maritime  technologies;  maritime 
shipping; microelectronics; steel; textile-clothing-footwear-leather; and tourism. 

The  Council  Recommendation  on  promoting  automatic  mutual  recognition  of  higher 
education and upper secondary education and training qualifications  and the outcomes of 
learning  periods  abroad34  invite  Member  States  to  put  in  place  the  steps  necessary  to 
achieve,  by  2025,  automatic  recognition  of  higher  education  and  upper  secondary 
qualifications, as well as recognition of the outcomes of learning periods, without making 
learners  go  through  a  separate  recognition  procedure.  The  Recommendation  stresses  the 
need to further develop quality assurance instruments in vocational education and training 
in  line  with  the  European  Framework  for  Quality  Assurance  in  Vocational  Education  and 
Training and its further developments with a view to foster transparency and build trust in 
each  other's  secondary  education  and  training  systems.  What  concerns  facilitation  of 
mobility and recognition of the outcomes of learning periods abroad, the Recommendation 
calls on extending the use of the EU tools developed in VET: such as those made available 
through the Europass online platform and the Memorandum of Understanding and Learning 
Agreement  that  are  part  of  the  European  Credit  system  for  Vocational  Education  and 
Training. 

Another  relevant  European  policy  development  in  the  field  of  education  and  training  was 
the  launch  of  the  first  full  version  of  ESCO35,  the  multilingual  classification  of  European 
Skills,  Competences,  Qualifications  and  Occupations  in  July  2017.  In  July  2018,  the 
Commission adopted the Implementing Acts required by Article 19 of the EURES Regulation 
to guide and support Member States to map their national classifications to ESCO, or adopt 
ESCO  directly  into  their  systems.  This  adoption  marked  the  start  of  the  3-year  period  for 
Member  States  to  comply  with  the  requirements  of  the  Regulation.  Mapping  the  national 
skills  classification  to  ESCO  will  have  the  potential  to  use  a  standard  terminology  to 
describe  the  details  of  a  job,  the  professional  profile  of  a  job  seeker  or  the  content  of  a 
learning outcome thus to achieve greater transparency of skills and qualifications. 

Funding  for  Member  States  is  ensured  by  the  European  Social  Fund  which  from  2014  to 
2020 has been investing € 6.4 billion in  youth  employment and € 27 billion in  education 
and training measures. Under the Erasmus+ Programme (2014-2020) almost € 3 billion is 
assigned to VET for mobility, cooperation and reforms in the education sector. 

33  “Everyone  has  the  right  to  quality  and  inclusive  education,  training  and  life-long  learning  in  order  to 
maintain  and  acquire  skills  that  enable  them  to  participate  fully  in  society  and  manage  successfully 
transitions in the labour market.” 
34 OJ C 444, 10.12.2018 
35 https://ec.europa.eu/esco/portal/home  

12 

 
                                              
3.  STATE OF PLAY OF VET 

3.1.  Prevalence, benefits and outcomes of VET 

Vocational education and training (VET) is a comprehensive term commonly used to refer to 
education,  training  and  skills  development  in  a  wide  range  of  occupational  fields, 
production,  services  and  livelihoods.  Vocational  education  and  training  activities  can  take 
many  forms  –  ranging,  for  example,  from  guided  training  received  on-the-job,  to  non-
formal  training  opportunities,  to  formal  or  preparatory  programmes  spanning  education 
levels from lower-secondary education to tertiary education.  

Traditionally, VET programmes were seen to prepare individuals for jobs in medium-skilled 
occupations,  which,  even  if  declining,  continue  to  represent  the  largest  share  of  jobs 
currently  available  in  the  labour  market.  In  2018,  in  EU28  41%  of  all  jobs  were  in 
occupations  requiring  a  high-level  qualification;  50%  of  all  jobs  were  in  occupations 
requiring a medium-level qualification and further 9% of jobs were in occupations requiring 
only a low-level qualification.  

Figure 1: The share of jobs by level of qualification needed, 2018 

100%

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Source: Eurostat, EU LFS, 2018, online data code [lfsa_egais]. Reading note: share of jobs calculated based on 
the  number  of  employed  persons  aged  15-74.  According  to  ISCO  08  classification  of  occupations,  jobs 
requiring  high  level  (i.e.  tertiary)  of  qualification  are  classified  within  the  occupational  groups  of  Managers 
(ISCO 1), Professionals (ISCO 2) and Technicians and associate professionals (ISCO 3). Jobs requiring medium 
level (i.e. upper-secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary) qualification are classified within the occupational 
groups of Clerical support workers (ISCO 4), Service and sales workers (ISCO 5), Skilled agricultural, forestry 
and fishery workers (ISCO 6), Craft and related trade workers (ISCO 7) and Plant and machine operators and 
assemblers  (ISCO  8).  Jobs  requiring  only  a  low  level  of  skills  include  the  occupational  group  of  elementary 
occupations (ISCO 9).  

13 

 
 
In  terms  of  actual  job  opportunities,  based  on  Cedefop  employment  projections36,  job 
openings  requiring  medium-level  qualification  will  also  continue  to  represent  the  largest 
share of all job-openings (46% of all job openings over the period of 2016-2030), closely 
followed  in  number  by  job-openings  requiring  high-level  of  qualification  (43%  of  all  job-
openings). 

Figure 2: The share of total job openings by level of qualification needed, 2016-
2030, EU28  

43% 

11% 

46% 

Low qualification

Medium qualification

High qualification

Source:  CEDEFOP  Skills  Forecasts  2016-2030.  Extracted 
https://skillspanorama.cedefop.europa.eu/en/analytical_highlights/skills-forecast-key-eu-trends-2030  

from  Skills  Panorama  online  article: 

Over  the  last  decades,  given  the  expansion  of  jobs  in  occupations  requiring  high-level  of 
qualification, in many countries VET programmes that target to deliver higher-level skills, a 
number  of  which  lead  to  tertiary  qualifications,  have  also  been  introduced  (European 
Commission,  2016).  For  example,  around  two-thirds  of  EU  Member  States,  report  having 
vocational/professional  programmes  at  ISCED37  5  –  short  cycle  tertiary  education  level 
(Eurostat,  2017).  Furthermore,  a  third  of  OECD  countries  also  report  programmes  with 
professional orientation at bachelor’s and master’s levels, even if definitions on programme 
orientation at these levels are not yet agreed internationally (OECD, forthcoming). 

36 Cedefop (2018) Skills forecast. Trends and challenges up to 2030. 
37 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-
explained/index.php/International_Standard_Classification_of_Education_(ISCED) 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                              
Figure  3:  The  level  and  orientation  of  educational  attainment  of  young  adults 
aged 30-34, 2018 

100%

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Low

Medium - general

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Tertiary

Source:  Eurostat  EU  LFS,  2018,  online  data  source  [edat_lfs_9914]. Tertiary  level  includes  vocational, 
professional  and  academic  qualifications.  The  data  is  sorted  by  the  proportion  of  individuals  without  a 
qualification  leading  to  a  direct  entry  to  the  labour  market,  i.e.  those  with  either  a  low  or  medium-general 
qualification. 

Nevertheless, despite educational upgrading, still a large proportion of young adults do not 
attain  a  qualification  which  leads  to  a  labour  market  entry  (i.e.  a  vocational  or  a  higher 
education  qualification).  In  the  EU27,  out  of  all  adults  in  the  age  group  30-34  (when  the 
majority  of  young  people  have  completed  their  initial  education  and  training),  9.8%  have 
achieved  at  most  a  medium-level  qualification  of  a  general  orientation,  and  16.7%  a 
qualification  below  an  upper-secondary  level  diploma  (i.e.  being  low  qualified).  These 
figures  suggest  than  more  than  a  quarter  of  young  adults  in  the  EU  do  not  attain  a 
qualification  with  a  direct  labour  market  relevance.  There  are,  nonetheless,  significant 
differences among countries – for example, in Czechia or Croatia this share is up to 10%, 
whereas in Malta and Portugal, it is above 50%. 

Overall, the largest share of VET learners are concentrated in educational programmes at 
upper-secondary level. They make-up nearly half of all learners enrolled at that level. Over 
the  last  5  years,  given  the  demographic  developments,  the  absolute  number  of  VET 
learners  enrolled  at  upper-secondary  level  declined  by  a  little  more  than  5%,  however  in 
relative terms the share of VET learners has declined only by 0.5 p.ps. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 4: The share of learners enrolled in upper-secondary VET programmes 

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Source:  Eurostat,  UOE  data,  reference  years  2013  and  2017,  online  data  code  [educ_uoe_enrs04].  Reading 
note:  the  data  is  sorted  by  the  enrolment  share  in  2013  in  descending  order,  Data  on  enrolment  share  in 
2013 in the Netherlands is not available.  

Overall,  the  largest  share  of  VET  learners  are  likely  concentrated  in  educational 
programmes at upper-secondary level, they make-up nearly half of all learners enrolled at 
that  level.  Over  the  last  5  years,  given  the  demographic  developments,  the  absolute 
number of VET learners enrolled at upper-secondary level in EU27 declined by a little more 
than 5%, however in relative terms the share of VET learners has declined only by 1.3 p.ps. 
over the same period (Eurostat, 2017). When looking over a longer period since 2005, for 
countries where data is available the enrolment in VET seems to have been rather stable, 
with  only  a  few  exceptions  -  in  several  countries  enrolments  have  declined  significantly 
(notably in Sweden) while in several others it has substantially increased (notably in Ireland, 
Portugal and Estonia).  

In terms of study field, the largest group of upper-secondary education graduates from VET 
programmes  are  specialised  in  technical  fields  (i.e.  engineering,  manufacturing  and 
construction),  but  business,  administration  and  law,  as  well  as  services,  are  also  popular 
fields for VET graduates. Gender differences are substantial, with women being less likely 
to have a VET degree in most countries, and those who have a VET degree specialising in 
different fields than men. For example, in 2017 in the EU28 women represent only 13% of 
learners in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction, or 16% in the field of 
information  and  communication  technologies.  On  the  other  hand,  82%  of  learners  are 
women in the field of health and welfare (Eurostat, 2017). Gender imbalances in particular 
fields or types of programme, for example, can raise equity issues  – in an apprenticeship 
system  dominated  by  the  construction  sector,  the  benefits  yielded  by apprenticeships  fall 
disproportionately on men. Policies typically aim to address this in two ways: widening the 
coverage  of  programmes  (e.g.  expanding  apprenticeships  into  traditionally  female 

16 

 
 
 
occupations)  and  encouraging  entry  into  non-traditional  occupations  (e.g.  encouraging 
women to train as electricians). 
Figure  5:  The  share  of  young  adults  aged  30-34  with  a  medium-level  VET 
qualification out of total cohort of 30-34 year olds, 2009 and 2018 

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Source: Eurostat EU LFS, 2018 and 2009, for 2018 data, the online data code is [edat_lfs_9914], 2009 data 
was  provided  to  DG  EMPL  by  Eurostat  as  a  special  data  extraction  from  EU  LFS  2009  ad-hoc  module  on 
young people in the labour market. Reading note: data for 2009 is based on a LFS ad-hoc module on young 
people in the labour market. The definitions of VET in 2009 and 2018 might not be fully comparable, but both 
sources  cover  only  VET  at  medium  level  (i.e.  upper-secondary  –  ISCED  3,  or  post-secondary  non-tertiary  – 
ISCED  4  programmes).  Data  for  2009  were  provided  for  DG  EMPL  by  Eurostat  as a  special  data  extraction. 
Data on the share of VET graduates in 2009 in Malta is unreliable and for Croatia is not available. 

Similarly to the proportion of young adults who pursue a VET pathway at upper secondary 
level,  which  seems  to  have  declined  only  slightly  on  average  in  the  EU27,  similarly  the 
share of young adults whose highest level of educational attainment is a medium-level VET 
qualification has slightly declining from 34.8% in 2009 to 33.8% in 2018 (Eurostat, 2018).  

17 

 
 
 
 
 
Figure  6:  Exposure  of  recent  graduates  (aged  15-34)  with  a  medium-level 
vocational education and training qualifications to work-based learning, 2016 

Source: Eurostat, LFS ad-hoc module on young people in the labour market, 2016, special data extraction for 
DG EMPL . Reading note: Recent graduates are defined as individuals who have graduated 1-3 years before 
the  survey.  VET  at  medium  level  includes  qualifications  from  upper-secondary  (ISCED  3)  or  post-secondary 
non-tertiary  (ISCED  4)  education  and  training  programmes.  The  data  also  include  those  still  enrolled  in 
education  or  training.  Operational  Eurostat  definition  of  apprenticeship  includes  remunerated,  curriculum-
related work-experience during studies, of at least 6 months in duration. Data on share of recent graduates 
exposed to all work-based learning is not reliable for  Malta and Croatia; data on share of recent graduates 
exposed  to  apprenticeships  is  not  reliable  for  Belgium,  Cyprus,  Italy,  Slovenia  and  Spain;  data  on  share  of 
recent graduates exposed to other types of work-based learning apart from apprenticeships is not reliable for 
Cyprus. 

An important feature of many high-quality VET programmes is a systematic integration of 
work-based learning components (e.g. traineeships, apprenticeships, dual-system education 
programmes), bringing about a variety of benefits for learners and future employers (OECD, 
2019;  JRC,  2020).  Notably,  apprenticeships  and  other  forms  of  work-based  learning 
considerably facilitate the transition of young adults into the labour market. In 2016, in the 
EU  only  63.2%  of  young  adults  who  were  not  exposed  to  work-based  learning  were 
employed, compared to 69.1% for those with mandatory traineeship experience and 83.7% 
for  those  with  an  apprenticeship  experience.  However,  on  average  only  59.  3%  of  recent 
graduates (aged 15-34) from vocational education and training in EU27 reported to have 
been exposed to work-based learning in 2016, with 25.7 % being part of an apprenticeship-
type programme and 33.6% having profited from other types of work-based learning. 

The outcomes of VET graduates, given restrictions in  data, can most reliably be  assessed 
for individuals graduating from VET programs at upper-secondary level and not continuing 
at higher levels of education, comparing with the labor outcomes of individuals graduating 
from general programs at the same level who also do not continue study at higher levels. 
These can be considered the two most similar groups of individuals for comparison, even if 
some important differences remain  between the two, on the one hand due to tracking of 
individuals  at  earlier  stages  of  education  and  on  the  other  due  to  different  propensity, 
depending  on  educational  pathway,  to  continue  studies  at  higher  levels.  In  this  regard,  a 
major review done by the OECD recently analyzed in detail the outcomes of VET from this 
perspective (OECD, forthcoming). 

18 

 
  
Figure  7:  Employment  rates  of  recent  graduates  aged  20-34  by  educational 
attainment level, 2018 (%)   

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Low

Medium general

Medium vocational

Tertiary

Source: Eurostat (EU-LFS, 2018, online data code [edat_lfse_24]). Reading note: data on the employment rate 
of low qualified includes all young adults aged 20-34 not enrolled in education or training no matter how long 
ago they completed their education. Medium-level educational attainment covers educational qualifications at 
upper-secondary  (ISCED  3)  or  post-secondary  non-tertiary  (ISCED  4)  levels.  Data  for  medium  and  highly 
qualified  include  only  individuals who  have  graduated  1-3  years  before  the  survey.  The  data  exclude  those 
still enrolled in education or training. The data is sorted by the employment rates of recent graduates from 
medium vocational programmes in a descending order. For Croatia, data is not available for the employment 
rate of graduates from medium-level programmes of general orientation. 

When comparing the outcomes of VET at upper-secondary level, it is found that in general 
graduates  from  VET  at  upper-secondary  level  have  higher  employment  rates  and  lower 
unemployment  rates  than  graduates  from  general  programmes  at  the  same  education 
level.  Work  intensity  among  VET  graduates  is  also  slightly  higher  than  among  general 
education  graduates.  VET  graduates  have  broadly  the  same  outcomes  in  terms  of  job 
quality as general education graduates, although there are some dimensions in which the 
former  group  performs slightly worse than other  graduates, even when they have similar 
characteristics and work in similar jobs (OECD, forthcoming). 

VET  graduates  have  moderately  higher  wage  levels  than  general  education  graduates 
although this level is substantially lower than for tertiary education graduates, even when 
they  work  in  similar  jobs.  VET  graduates  are  also  less  likely  than  general  education 
graduates  to  report  being  ill  prepared  for  their  job  and  are  more  likely  to  work  in 
occupations  that  match  their  education  level.  Nevertheless,  a  significant  share  of  VET 
graduates work in  occupations that do not match their field  of study.  Furthermore, fewer 
VET  graduates  are  employed  in  high-skill  occupations,  compared  to  general  education 
graduates (OECD, forthcoming). 

For  VET  graduates  to  be  resilient  in  a  changing  labour  market,  it  is  imperative  that  they 
have  strong  foundational  skills.  However,  the  Survey  of  Adult  Skills  shows  that,  in  many 
countries,  VET  graduates  have  lower  numeracy,  literacy  and  problem-solving  skills  than 
general  education  graduates.  At  the  same  time,  only  a  relatively  limited  share  of  VET 

19 

 
 
graduates  participate  in  job-related  training,  although  they  have  seen  stronger  growth  in 
training participation in the past ten years than other graduates. In spite of the importance 
for  VET  graduates  to  up-skill  and  re-skill,  they  show  low  interest  in  training  (OECD, 
forthcoming).  

Apart  from  formal  (initial)  education  and  training,  covered  above,  also  non-formal 
(continuing)  education  and  training  is  seen  as  an  increasingly  important  part  of  VET 
systems. This is also evident at the European level, where the Council since 2003 have set 
a benchmark to highlight the ambition to increase adult participation in learning (of which 
the  majority  is  job-related).  Despite  this  ambition,  progress  towards  achieving  the 
benchmark  has  been  slow,  both  due  to  difficulties  in  changing  the  behaviour  of  (mostly) 
private  actors but also in part due to weaknesses in  the definition of the indicator, which 
considers participation only during a reference period of 4 weeks, as it is measured in the 
EU  Labour  Force  Survey.  Such  a  short  reference  period  is  not  ideal  for  monitoring  adult 
learning, where majority of learnings undertake only just one or two learning activities over 
a period of one year.  

Notably, lack of progress with regard to the original indicator could in part be explained as 
a  statistical  artefact  caused  by  low  sensitivity  of  the  existing  indicator  measuring  adult 
learning in the EU Labour Force Survey (JRC, 2020). Conversely other, specialised surveys - 
such  as  the  EU  Adult  Education  Survey  or  the  EU  Continuing  Vocational  Training  Survey, 
which have indicators on adult learning that are more comprehensive, both show a steady 
increase in the prevalence of learning among adults (Eurostat, 2018). 

Figure 8: Share of adults (aged 25-64) participating in education and training (12 
months reference period), 2011 and 2016 

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2011

2016

Source:  Eurostat,  AES,  2011  and  2016,  special  data  extraction  for  DG  EMPL  provided  by  Eurostat.  Reading 
note: the indicator represents the share of adults aged 25-64 who report to have participated in at least one 
formal or non-formal education or training activity, excluding guided on the job training or informal learning. 
The data is sorted according to the share of adult learning in 2011 in descending order. Data not available for 
Croatia in 2011. There is break in time series between 2011 and 2016 in Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden.  

20 

 
 
 
Therefore, it is proposed for the analysis of adult participation in learning to rather use a 
more comprehensive measure, i.e. participation over a 12 months period. Based on the data 
from  Adult  Education  Survey,  in  the  EU27  adult  learning  participation  rate  has  increased 
from 35% in 2011 to 37.9% in 2016. 

3.2.  Member States progress towards common (Riga) priorities  

In 2002, the Copenhagen process has laid the foundations for a systemic approach in VET 
reforms  at  European  level.  For  nearly  two  decades,  Member  States,  European  Economic 
Area, candidate countries and European social partners have been working closely on joint 
priorities for vocational education and training (VET). Based on a long-term vision agreed in 
2010  together  with  a  set  of  shorter-term  priority  areas  (Bruges  communiqué),  in  2015, 
they renewed their efforts in fewer and broader priority areas to raise quality and status of 
VET  (Riga  Conclusions).  The  Riga  conclusions  set  five  medium-term  deliverables  (MTDs), 
which  have  been  addressed  by  the  countries  to  a  different  extent  depending  on  their 
starting point and respective contexts.  

In a 2016 Cedefop survey, the Directors General for  VET assigned relevant priority  to the 
MTDs as follows (see Figure 1): strengthening work-based learning, with specific attention 
to apprenticeships (MTD 1), followed by access to VET and qualifications for all (MTD 3) and 
teacher  and  trainer  professional  development  (MTD  5);  quality  assurance  and  feedback 
loops (MTD 2) and key competences (MTD 4) were ranked lower by the countries (Cedefop, 
2016)38.  

Figure 9 - Riga Priorities for 2016-20 in the EU-28+ 

NB: 26 respondents. 
Source: Cedefop based on the survey among the Director Generals for VET in the Member States 

in 2016 (Cedefop, 2016).  

38 Cedefop (2016). DGVT survey on priorities among the Riga deliverables [unpublished]. 

21 

 
  
 
                                              
 
In  its  mandate,  Cedefop  has  closely  monitored  and  analysed  the  progress  of  EU28+ 
countries  toward  the  agreed  objectives,  collecting  evidence  on  common  trends, 
achievements and challenges and identifying examples of practice that can inspire others.  

3.2.1.  Priority 1 - Promote work-based learning in all its forms, 

with special attention to apprenticeships 

Promoting  apprenticeships  continued  to  be  high  on  the  European  policy  agenda  and  in 
2015-19,  apprenticeship  and  other  forms  of  work-based  learning  (WBL)  expanded  and 
became central to several EU-level and many national actions and initiatives in VET. Most 
countries  introduced  system  level  reforms  such  as  setting  up  or  updating  their  legal 
frameworks,  updating  and  clarifying  rules  and  regulations  or  expanding  apprenticeship  to 
new  programmes  at  higher 
levels.  Some  countries  worked  to  clarify  roles  and 
responsibilities  of  different  actors  especially  employer  organisations  and  chambers.  This 
area will be on countries’ agenda for the years to come.  

Example 1: Alliance for dual training in Spain; Baltic alliance for apprenticeships 
and work-based learning 

In Spain, the Alliance for dual training was created in 2015. It is a network of companies, 
VET  institutions  and  research  centres  to  support  the  development  of  dual  VET  through 
creating  a  quality  dual  training  model,  assisting  SMEs  participating  in  dual  VET,  and 
contributing  in  improving  legislation.  To  be  admitted  to  the  alliance,  companies  must 
have  remuneration  systems  for  their  apprentices,  ensure  that  trainers  and  tutors  are 
properly trained, and involve higher level managers in dual VET39. 

Latvia together with Estonia and Lithuania, launched the Baltic alliance for apprenticeship 
and  work-based  learning  in  2015,  which  aimed  to  involve  social  partners  and  VET 
providers  in  promoting  work-based  learning/apprenticeships  and  make  VET  more 
attractive40. 

Source: Cedefop 

Many  countries  focused  on  making  apprenticeships  more  attractive  for  employers  and 
learners. Incentives are increasingly used to encourage enterprises to offer training places; 
most  of  these  are  financial  subsidies  or  tax  exemptions.  Some  countries  have  started 
designing non-financial incentives such as developing ‘labels’ and certificates to companies 
to recognise the quality apprenticeship they provide.    

School-business  cooperation  was  reinforced  through  increased  participation  of  labour 
market  stakeholders,  sharing  responsibilities  and  strengthening  partnerships  in  shaping 
VET,  in  programme  design  and  teaching.  Despite  the  efforts  this  area  requires  more 
attention  and  further  exchange  through  peer  learning  as  well  as  increased  matchmaking 
between  schools  and  businesses..  The  findings  of  Cedefop’s  thematic  country  reviews  on 

policy 

in  2015-19: 

39 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  
training 
and 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments  
40 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  
training 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments  

Latvia.  Cedefop  monitoring 

Spain.  Cedefop  monitoring 

and  analysis 

in  2015-19: 

of  VET 

of  VET 

analysis 

policy 

policies. 

policies. 

22 

 
                                              
apprenticeship  conducted  in  2014-201841  point  out  that  countries  find  it  particularly 
difficult  to  distribute  and  coordinate  learning  that  happens  at  school  with  that  at  the 
workplace.  

Example  2:  Labour  market  and  education  cooperation  programme  in  Estonia; 
Office Francophone de la Formation en Alternance in Belgium-Fr 

the 

framework  of 

In  Estonia,  within 
the  Labour  market  and  education 
cooperation programme,  education-business  coordinators  were  introduced  into  schools, 
tasked  with  finding  enterprise  partners  and  coordinating  cooperation  in  apprenticeships 
training. VET schools received support to strengthen cooperation between employers and 
education institutions for developing work-based learning 42. 

In  the  French  Community  of  Belgium,  the  Office  Francophone  de  la  Formation  en 
Alternance  (OFFA)  was  established  in  September  2015,  and  mandated  for  steering, 
promoting,  developing  and  coordinating  apprenticeships.  OFFA’s  purposes  include 
harmonising  practices  in  the  framework  of  the  apprenticeship  contract;  centralising 
accreditation of companies; and centralising and processing applications from companies 
for incentives43. 

Source: Cedefop 

Evidence reveals that countries worked to boost the involvement of SMEs in providing WBL 
and apprenticeship  and SMEs will remain one of the key target group  of policy actions in 
the future. 

Example 3: Support to SMEs – various countries 

SMEs  were  provided  with  methodological  guidelines  and  toolkits  for  quality  placements 
and  took  part  in  training  workshops  (e.g.  Croatia,  Cyprus,  Germany,  Latvia  and  Poland). 
Apprenticeship advisors were trained to provide companies with administrative assistance 
and  apprenticeship  support  services  (e.g.  Croatia).  For  employers  that  can  only  provide 
partial  placements,  shared  apprenticeship  was  put  in  place,  where  apprentices  move 
between  different  employers  (e.g.  Wales).  And  finally,  databases  of  SMEs  interested  in 
apprenticeships  were  created  to  support  schools’  and  learners’  search  for  placements 
(e.g. Croatia)44.  

Source: Cedefop 

Some  countries  strengthened 
their  school-based 
programmes by requiring more VET programmes to include practical training, increasing the 

the  work-based  component  of 

in  2015-19:  Estonia.  Cedefop  monitoring  and  analysis  of  VET 

41 https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/apprenticeships-work-based-learning#1   
42  Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  
training  policy 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments  
43 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  
training  policy  in  2015-19:  French-speaking  Belgium.  Cedefop  monitoring  and  analysis  of  VET  policies. 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments  
44 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  
training  policy 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments  

[country].  Cedefop  monitoring  and  analysis  of  VET  policies. 

in  2015-19: 

policies. 

23 

 
                                              
 
  
duration of practical training and set up coordination functions to support school-business 
cooperation (e.g. Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovenia).   

3.2.2.  Priority 2 - develop quality assurance mechanisms in VET and 

continuous information and feedback loops 

By 2019, all countries had developed a national approach to quality assurance (QA). Many 
countries  worked  on  revising  their  regulatory  frameworks  (e.g.  Croatia,  Estonia,  Latvia, 
Portugal,  Scotland),  either  as  part  of  a  greater  VET  reform  or  in  some  cases  focusing  on 
consolidating  their  fragmented  approaches  (e.g.  Croatia)  and  establishing  comprehensive 
practices  across  the  country  and  different  sectors  of  education  and  training  (e.g.  Austria, 
Bulgaria, Italy, Slovenia).  

Many developments focused on quality of VET providers: promoting self-assessment in VET 
schools  (mostly  in  IVET)  to  introduce  a  culture  of  continuous  improvement;  further 
(e.g. 
developing  external  evaluation  practices, 
Luxembourg),  inspection  bodies  (e.g.  Bulgaria,  French-speaking  Belgium,  Norway)  and 
making  quality  agreements  with  VET  providers  systematic  (e.g.  the  Netherlands).  The 
analysis  of  the  countries’  approaches  to  quality  assurance  of  VET  providers  shows  a 
significant  variation  in  terms  of  flexibility  on  the  mandatory  or  optional  nature  of  self-
assessment, on the bodies and the types of external monitoring, and the types and number 
of  indicators  used.  The  variation  can  be  explained  by  the  differences  in  the  way  VET  is 
organised and the degree of autonomy of VET providers.  

introducing  quality  observatories 

In  most  cases,  self-assessment  and  external  evaluation  work  hand  in  hand  and  support 
putting  in  practice  the  use  of  the  quality  cycle,  an  important  element  of  the  EQAVET 
Recommendation.  The  Quality  Assurance  National  Reference  Points  supported  quality 
assurance related developments, using the expertise provided by the EQAVET community of 
practice. They shared examples of good practice with other network members, participated 
in  peer  review  activities  and  used  Erasmus+  funding  to  support  the  developments  and 
implementation of their national approaches.   

The analysis of national developments also calls for closer links between quality assurance 
efforts  and  other  policy  areas.  Few  countries  linked  quality  assurance  to  developing 
methodologies  for  qualification  design  and  review  (e.g.  Portugal),  certification  and 
examination  processes  (e.g.  Greece,  the  Netherlands,  Poland);  and  expanded  quality 
assurance  to  work-based  learning  and  apprenticeships  (e.g.  France,  Germany,  Greece, 
Latvia, Portugal).  

Anticipating training needs is a crucial element of feedback loop to improve the quality 
and  relevance  of  VET.  Most  countries  have  some  mechanism  to  inform  national,  regional 
and local authorities responsible for VET, training providers, public employment service and 
employers  in  planning  of  VET;  some  combine  available  statistical  data  with  qualitative 
information  to  identify  technological  trends  and  societal  changes  to  project  future  skills 
demand  in  the  labour  market.  About  one  third  of  the  countries  started  developing 
comprehensive  forecasting  mechanisms.  Cedefop  45  supported  Bulgaria,  Estonia,  Greece, 
Iceland, Malta and Slovakia in their endeavour to improve anticipation methods, build their 

45 https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/assisting-eu-countries-skills-matching  

24 

 
                                              
capacity  on  skills  and  labour  market  intelligence  and  put  in  place  effective  policies  and 
actions to tackle skills mismatch. 

Setting up mechanisms to assess, anticipate and respond to skill needs is not enough. To be 
able to translate labour market intelligence into effective policies requires collaboration of 
different  stakeholders.  Evidence  shows  that  countries  set  up  advisory  bodies  to  inform 
policy  making,  such  as  government  agencies,  sector  skills  councils  (e.g.  Hungary,  Latvia), 
national  and/or  regional  education  councils  (e.g.  Greece,  Latvia,  Poland),  and  forums  for 
national  and/or  regional  public  debate  on  education  and  training  (e.g.  England,  Ireland, 
Luxemburg). A closer look at the composition of these advisory bodies points to the need of 
more involving teachers, learners and employee representatives. There is also an increased 
need  for  local  and  regional  autonomy  in  programme  development  and closer  cooperation 
between providers and employers in keeping VET relevant to regional and local needs.  

Example 4: OSKA surveys in Estonia 

In Estonia, the Ministries of Education, Economic Affairs and Social Affairs, in cooperation 
with employers and representatives from other ministries, launched a system for regular 
forecasting, monitoring, and feedback on labour market needs (OSKA). OSKA’s surveys on 
sectoral  needs  for  labour  and  skills  use  a  combination  of  qualitative  and  quantitative 
research  methods  and  analyse  professional  qualifications  across  all  education  levels. 
Results of this analysis and projections form the basis for several activities: establishing 
qualifications;  career  guidance  services;  curriculum  design  by  education  institutions; 
aiding authorities that finance learning activities. Active and content-driven participation 
by employers in the lifelong learning system is a prerequisite to making this approach a 
success. The first OSKA reports in 2016-17 focused on ICT, accounting, forestry and the 
timber  industry,  metal  products,  machinery,  social  work,  healthcare,  production  of 
chemicals, rubber, plastic and construction materials, energy and mining. An overview of 
global  and  domestic  trends  influencing  labour  supply  and  demand  in  the  country  was 
also published. The first labour market overview, conclusions and proposals based on the 
surveys were presented to the Estonian Government in spring 2017. The government will 
receive a summary of OSKA results every year. 

Source: Cedefop  (2020, forthcoming).  Enhancing European cooperation in VET: Outcomes of the 
Riga round. Progress in common priorities for 2015-20. 

Transition  and  employability  of  VET  graduates  has  come  to  focus  as  the  information  on 
outcomes  is  not  collected  systematically.  Many  countries  work  to  develop  monitoring 
systems  of  graduate  tracking  (Croatia,  Cyprus,  Poland,  Sweden),  mainly  through 
statistical  tools  as  well  as  the  setting  up  of  specialised  bodies  (e.g.  French-speaking 
Belgium).    To  set  up  graduate  tracking  countries  report  the  obstacles  posed  by  data 
protection regulations, the cost of collecting such data and the capacity needed at system 
level to interpret and use these data to inform VET.    

Example 5: Graduate tracking in Ireland, Belgium-Nl and Poland 

In  Ireland,  the  Department  of  Social  Protection  and  the  Further  Education  and  Training 
Authority  (SOLAS)  agreed  on  a  data  sharing  protocol  to  develop  and  implement  a  data 
infrastructure to support VET provision and policy46. 

46 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  

25 

 
                                              
 
In  Dutch-speaking  Belgium,  the  Flemish  Public  Employment  Service  (VDAB)  and  the 
Flemish Ministry of Education and Training agreed that schools will receive data on both 
progression of their graduates towards higher education (as was the case so far) and the 
transition of their IVET graduates to the labour market47.  

In  Poland,  the  Educational  Research  Institute  launched  an  ESF  co-financed  project  to 
develop a system to track the educational and professional trajectories of VET graduates 
at the national, regional, local and school levels. The project has been using administrative 
data from the social security administration (for professional trajectories) and educational 
resources  (for  educational  trajectories).  First  results  and  recommendations  are  expected 
for 201948.  

Source:  Cedefop  (2020,  forthcoming).  Enhancing  European  cooperation  in  VET:  Outcomes  of  the 
Riga round. Progress in common priorities for 2015-20. 

3.2.3.  Priority 3 - access to VET and qualifications for all 

To  address  the  multidimensional  scope  of  the  MTD,  countries  worked  on  the  following 
areas:  training,  reskilling  and  upskilling  vulnerable  groups;  increasing  permeability  and 
flexibility;  improving  guidance  services;  recognition  and  validation  of  non-formal  and 
informal learning; transparency of qualifications and promoting equal opportunities for all.  

Almost  all  countries  acted  to  train,  reskill  and  upskill  at-risk  groups,  such  as  early 
school leavers and young people not in employment, education and training (NEETs), low-
skilled,  unemployed,  employed  people  at  risk  of  becoming  jobless,  parents  on  (or  after)  a 
parental  leave,  youth  from  disadvantaged  urban  areas,  young  people  with  learning 
difficulties, people with disabilities, senior workers, refugees and other migrants. Among the 
approaches,  countries  developed  training  courses  for  the  different  target  groups  (most 
typical  approach);  apprenticeship  and  internship  schemes  (e.g.  Bulgaria,  Czechia,  French-
speaking  and  German-speaking  Belgium,  Sweden);  established  training  guarantee 
programmes  (e.g.  Austria,  Germany),  scholarships  or  financial  support  for  training  (e.g. 
Bulgaria,  England,  Estonia,  Germany,  Lithuania,  Spain,  Sweden).  In  few  countries,  the 
approaches  to  upskilling  low  skilled  adults  aligned  with  the  three-stage  pattern49  of  the 
Upskilling pathways Recommendation and most often in relation to refugees and migrants 
(e.g. Austria, Finland, Germany, Poland, Sweden). 

in  2015-19: 

Ireland.  Cedefop  monitoring  and  analysis  of  VET  policies. 

training  policy 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments  
47 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  
training  policy  in  2015-19:  Dutch-speaking  Belgium.  Cedefop  monitoring  and  analysis  of  VET  policies. 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments  
48 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  
training 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments  
49 Skills assessment; provision of a tailored, flexible and quality learning offer meeting the needs identified in 
the skills assessment; followed by validation and recognition of the skills acquired. 

in  2015-19:  Poland.  Cedefop  monitoring  and  analysis  of  VET 

policies. 

policy 

26 

 
                                                                                                                                             
Example 6: Alliance for initial and further training in Germany  

In  Germany,  the  2015-18  Alliance  for  initial  and  further  training  between  the  Federal 
Government, the Länder, business and industry, unions and the federal employment agency 
aimed  to  reduce  the  number  of  young  people  without  school  certificate  and  give  each 
person in need a path that can lead to a VET qualification. Within the alliance, sectors have 
committed  to  providing  20  000  places  annually  for  introductory  training.  17  500  young 
people took up this type of training in 2015 while in 2018 they were 21 000 50. 

Source: Cedefop.  

To allow learners a smooth progression in education and training systems, countries worked 
to  increase  their  permeability  and  flexibility  through  setting  up  new  pathways  and 
bridging  routes  (e.g.  Denmark,  Estonia,  Germany,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Norway,  Slovakia); 
making  admission,  progression  and  examination  rules  more  flexible  (e.g.  Estonia,  Norway, 
Spain,  Sweden);  opening  up  VET  to  general  education  and  higher  education  students  (e.g. 
Germany,  Norway);  and  introducing  modularisation  and  partial  qualifications  in  IVET  and 
CVET (e.g. Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden).  

According  to  Cedefop  monitoring  of  the  EQF/NQF  implementation51,  all  countries  have 
developed or have revised their qualification frameworks; the coverage of NQFs has been 
increasing and their comprehensive character is becoming stronger. The impact of the NQFs 
is  growing  in  particular  in  the  review  and  renewal  of  qualification  standards  and  in 
promoting  stakeholder  involvement,  as  comprehensive  frameworks  act  as  platforms  for 
cooperation  across  educational  sub-systems  and  education  and  labour  market.  There  is  a 
growing  trend  among  countries  to  open  up  their  frameworks  to  include  qualifications 
awarded  outside  the  formal  system  by  labour  market  stakeholders  and  international 
organisations.  It  is  important  that  work  continues  in  this  direction  in  order  to  further 
increase the international dimension of VET. A challenge that needs to be addressed in the 
future  is  to  continue  communicating  the  benefits  and  added  value  of  EQF/NQFs  to  end-
users. A concrete example is to systematically include EQF and NQF levels on qualification 
documents and in registers of qualifications.  

Since  2015,  efforts  in  most  countries  have  been  made  towards  integrated  and  quality 
guidance  services.  Countries  concentrated  on  revising  procedures,  training  teachers  who 
have  guidance  tasks,  extending  services  to  broader  age  and  social  groups;  e-tools  with 
integrated matching and self-help tools have become prominent in the last years. Despite 
the  number  of  initiatives  implemented  by  countries,  the  challenge  remains  to  seize 
perceiving guidance as an ad-hoc service and embed it into the lifelong learning process. It 
is important that countries follow a holistic approach to guidance and counselling involving 
stakeholders and linking it to skills assessment, validation and certification at any transition 
points from education to work and within both.  

50 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  
training  policy 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments  
51 https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/national-qualifications-framework-nqf  

in  2015-19:  Germany.  Cedefop  monitoring  and  analysis  of  VET  policies. 

27 

 
 
                                              
Example 7: Guidance for all learners in Sweden  

In Sweden, the Government proposed in January 2019 an amendment to the Education Act 
aiming to introduce individual career guidance for all learners. Compulsory education would 
include  an  activity  called  ‘Future  choices’  of  a  total  80  hours  in  grades  7  to  9  to  teach 
learners about working life, career paths and vocational areas before they proceed to upper 
secondary education52. 

Source: Cedefop.  

Most  countries  have  reinforced  their  work  on  validating  non-formal  and  informal 
learning, moving towards the creation of overarching strategies and tackling the existing 
fragmentation  of  validation  systems53.  The  youth  guarantee,  the  Council recommendation 
on upskilling pathways, measures for long-term unemployed and large inflow of migrants 
in  recent  years  have  contributed  to  using  validation  more  widely.  Major  challenges  on 
validation in VET seem to be the professionalisation of validation practitioners who are not 
required  to  have  any  training  and  the  offer  of  this  training  is  limited.  Monitoring  and 
evaluation  of  the  efficiency  and  effectiveness  of  existing  validation  initiatives  remains 
limited, although more countries are establishing quality assurance systems specifically for 
validation.  There  is  limited  information  on  the  number  of  people  that  goes  through 
validation.  In  addition,  there  is  still  room  for  better  coordination  between  validation  and 
wider career guidance management practices.  

3.2.4. 

 Priority 4 – strengthen key competences 

Key competences are high on the skills demand that employers look for and they received 
due attention in the countries’ education and training policies through setting up strategies 
and action plans; revising programmes and curricula; improving methods for assessment of 
key  competences;  and  training  of  teachers  and  trainers  on  learning  key  competences.  EU 
initiatives, e.g. the EU frameworks for key competences, languages (CEFR), entrepreneurial 
(EntreComp) and digital competences (DigComp), affect these policies 54.  

Digital  competences,  competences  in  science,  technology  and  maths,  country  and  foreign 
languages, entrepreneurship and financial literacy were among most frequently addressed 
while learning to learn, social and civic competences and cultural awareness and expression 
competences 
less  attention.  Sometimes,  national  policies  address  key 
competences as a package, aiming mainly to raise awareness and set a vision, rather than 
embedding them into the system. A trend to develop tools in support to key competences 
(competence  mapping  tools,  tools  to  support  the  acquisition  of  digital  skills,  learning-to-
learn, entrepreneurship competence and other emerging key competences) is on the rise. 

received 

Digital competences attracted most attention among the countries. There is an increase 
in inter-ministerial/ inter-departmental cooperation towards addressing digital competences 

in  2015-19:  Sweden.  Cedefop  monitoring  and  analysis  of  VET  policies. 

52 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  
training  policy 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments  
53  The  2018  EU  inventory  (European  Commission,  Cedefop,  ICF),  forthcoming  on  Cedefop’s  website  at: 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/validation-non-formal-and-informal-
learning/european-inventory  
54 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Key competences in initial VET: digital, literacy and multilingual.  

28 

 
                                              
in VET; also establishing of dedicated authorities for digital affairs. Comprehensive digital 
strategies  addressing  learners  and  teachers  as  well  as  the  provision  of  appropriate 
infrastructure and learning tools have been designed (e.g. Austria, Croatia, Estonia, French-
speaking  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Norway).  Courses  on  digital  skills,  the  internet  and 
programming have been offered in schools and to the wide public including disadvantaged 
groups  (e.g.  Bulgaria,  Croatia,  Cyprus,  the  Czech  Republic,  French-speaking  Belgium, 
Luxembourg).  

Example 8: Digital skills programmes in Germany, Italy, Cyprus, Ireland  

In Germany and Italy, funding and tax incentives were provided to support investment that 
contributes to the acquisition of digital competence.  

Cyprus introduced the European Computer Driving License (ECDL) Certification Programme, 
for participation on a voluntary and free-of-charge basis.  

In  Ireland,  the  Explore  programme  started,  in  June  2018,  to  provide  older  workers  in  the 
manufacturing sector with training on basic digital skills. 

Source: Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Enhancing European cooperation in VET: Outcomes of 
the Riga round. Progress in common priorities for 2015-20. 

The  need  for  digital  competences  and  entrepreneurship  is  rising  since  they  are  key  to 
flexible learning approaches, to promoting creativity and innovation and to supporting other 
key  competences,  such  as  literacy,  science,  technology,  engineering  and  mathematics.    In 
addition,  the  need  for  further  work  on  personal,  social,  learning  to  learn,  citizenship  and 
cultural awareness and expression competences is strong.  

VET  has  good  potential  to  equip  learners  with  key  competences.  As  the  Cedefop’s  2016 
opinion survey on VET 55 revealed, respondents from VET were more likely to say that they 
developed  entrepreneurship,  creativity,  communication,  digital  and  team-working  skills 
while respondents from general education were more satisfied on the development of their 
social and civic competences, foreign languages, science and technology skills and critical 
thinking skills56.  

3.2.5. 

 Priority 5 - initial and continuous professional development 
of VET teachers, trainers and mentors 

Competent and motivated teachers and trainers are essential for high quality and inclusive 
VET.  Different  EU-level  working  groups  have  focused  on  competences  and  professional 
development of VET teaching and training staff. Some countries looked for ways to address 
teacher  shortages  and  make  teaching  more  attractive  by  increasing  salaries  (e.g.  Latvia), 
developing  career  opportunities  and  attracting  professionals  from  industry  (e.g.  Hungary, 
Norway, Slovakia, Northern Ireland). Despite the work done in this respect further attention 
is required on this area in the future. 

55  Cedefop  (2017).  Cedefop  opinion  survey  on  vocational  education  and  training  in  Europe.  Luxembourg: 
Publications Office. Cedefop research paper; No 62.  http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-
resources/publications/5562 

56 These  results should  be interpreted with  caution, as they reflect personal beliefs and, in some cases, the 
meaning of terms may not have been fully clear to the respondents. 

29 

 
 
                                              
Redefining  VET  teachers’  entry  requirements  and  updating  pre-service  and  initial  in-
service training is mostly targeted at addressing insufficient preparedness of teachers with 
respect to the challenges they are faced with.  

To  support  teachers  and  trainers  continuous  professional  development,  most 
countries introduced programmes and courses, extended career development opportunities 
and  promoted  work  placements  in  companies  (e.g.  French-speaking  Belgium,  Croatia, 
Czechia, France, Hungary, Luxemburg, Latvia, Slovenia) to keep teacher competences up-to-
date  on  the  industry,  labour  market  and  technological  developments.  Some  countries 
moved  towards  more  flexible  and  innovative  provision  of  CPD,  including  digital  resources 
and provision.  

Example  9:  Continuing  professional  development  of  teachers  and  trainers  on 
digital skills in Spain  

In Spain, the National Institute of Education Technologies and Teacher Training (INTEF) has 
been developing interactive and multimedia digital education resources for teachers’ CPD, 
such  as  open  and  online  courses;  a  ‘Digital  Competence  Portfolio  for  Teachers;  an  Open 
Badge Backpack for the acknowledgement of professional competencies; and a mobile app 
for  micro  self-training  aimed  at  the  improvement  of  Digital  Competences.  INTEF  also 
promotes networking among teachers to exchange resources and experience57. 

Source: Cedefop.  

Professional  developments  of  VET  leaders  received  limited  attention:  few  countries  have 
introduced specialised programmes to prepare VET school leaders for their role, which often 
includes taking decisions about teacher professional development. Taking into account the 
number of initiatives as regards teachers’ and leaders’ CPD, countries will need to consider 
monitoring of its content, quality and effectiveness for better learning.  

With the development of apprenticeships and work-based learning in most of the countries, 
there  is  a  growing  need  for  more  employees  from  companies  who  can  act  as 
trainers/mentors.  Countries  (e.g.  Bulgaria,  Greece,  Hungary,  Lithuania,  Poland,  Portugal, 
Slovakia,  Slovenia,  Spain)  worked  on  (re)defining  the  requirements  to  become  a  trainer, 
introducing/updating  training  programmes  and  opening  up  learning  opportunities  through 
school visiting schemes. 

3.3.  Overview of EU support  

The Commission supports VET modernisation through: 

1.  Legal  acts  —  Council  recommendations  on  a  European  quality  assurance  reference 
framework for vocational education and training (EQAVET), on a European credit system 
for  vocational  education  and  training  (ECVET)  and  on  the  European  framework  for 
quality and effective apprenticeships (March 2018); 

57 Cedefop (2020, forthcoming). Developments in vocational education and  
and 
training 
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/country-reports/vet-policy-developments 

Spain.  Cedefop  monitoring 

in  2015-19: 

of  VET 

analysis 

policy 

policies. 

30 

 
 
                                              
2.  Mutual  learning  —  Focusing  on  the  priorities  defined  in  the  EU  VET  agenda  and 
leading  to  expert  reports  (e.g.  20  guiding  principles  for  high-performance  and  work-
based learning); 

3.  Policy initiatives — Such as the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, the European 

Vocational Skills Week and the Centres of vocational excellence; 

4.  Targeted  funding  —  Notably  through  the  current  European  Social  Fund  (ESF)  and 

Erasmus + Programmes; 

5.  Monitoring of progress — carried out by the two Agencies, the European Centre for 
the  Development  of  Vocational  Training  (Cedefop)  and  the  European  Training 
Foundation  (for  candidate  countries),  feeding  into  the  European  Semester  and  annual 
Education and Training Monitor. 

3.3.1.  Legal acts 

a)  EQAVET 

The Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 on 
the  establishment  of  a  European  Quality  Assurance  Reference  Framework  for  Vocational 
Education and Training (EQAVET) defines a reference framework to support Member States 
in improving the quality of their vocational education and training systems. In addition, the 
EQAVET Recommendation also aims to contribute to increased transparency of vocational 
education  and  training  policy  developments  between  Member  States,  thereby  aiming  to 
promote mutual trust, mobility of workers and learners, and lifelong learning. 

The  importance  of  maintaining  quality  in  VET  was  initially  already  included  in  the  2000 
Lisbon  strategy  underlining  that  the  transition  to  a  knowledge-based  economy  requires 
modern and adaptable VET. The 2002 Copenhagen Declaration subsequently proposed EU 
cooperation  in  quality  assurance  in  VET  in  order  to  enhance  quality  in  VET  as  well  as  to 
support mutual trust and the recognition of vocational qualifications. 

The EQAVET Framework comprises quality criteria, descriptors and indicators applicable to 
quality  management  at  both  VET-system  and  VET-provider  levels  organised  around  the 
implementation,  evaluation/ 
quality  assurance  and 
assessment and review/revision). 

improvement  cycle 

(planning, 

Following  the  adoption  of  the  EQAVET  Recommendation  in  2009,  EU  Member  States 
cooperate  in  the  framework  of  the  EQAVET  Network  composed  of  the  EQAVET  National 
Reference points. 

This  section  aims  to  take  stock  of  the  experience  gained  with  the  implementation  of  the 
EQAVET Recommendation over the last 10 years. 

Progress in quality assurance for vocational education and training in the EU 

Since 2009, important improvements to QA arrangements in  the EU Member  States have 
been made. A study on the EU VET instruments, notably ECVET and EQAVET, was published 
in 2019 which had the objective to examine the progress EU Member States have made in 
the implementation of these instruments since their adoption in 2019. 

31 

 
 
According  to  this  study,  19  EU  Member  States  have  made  major  changes  to  their  QA 
arrangements for IVET while others have made some adjustments over the last 10 years. A 
similar trend can be observed for CVET. Around 20 EU Member States have made changes 
to their QA arrangements in CVET.  

The many changes between 2009 and 2018 concern: 

  The  introduction  of  new  structures  in  charge  of  quality  assurance  such  as 

inspectorates and new agencies in charge or quality assurance 

  Creating of a new monitoring and quality assurance system comprising internal and 
external  evaluation  as  well  changes  to  guidelines  for  self-assessment  of  VET 
providers 
Improving  quality  assurance  arrangements  in  the  area  of  apprenticeship  schemes 
and work based learning 

 

  Putting a stronger  focus on outcomes of VET provision trough the development of 

new indicators for monitoring the performance of VET programmes 

  Strengthening the involvement of stakeholders such as employers, trade unions and 

learners in the design and implementation of quality assurance procedures  

Quality assurance developments at VET system level 

The EQAVET Framework puts a lot of emphasis on strengthening effective feedback loops 
in  VET.  The  importance  of  feedback  loops  was  also  underlined  in  the  Riga  conclusions 
adopted by the EU Minister in charge of VET in 2015. The second Riga priority calls on the 
EU  Member  States  to  establish  continuous  information  and  feedback  loops  in  initial  VET 
and continuing VET systems based on learning outcomes. 

Many EU Member States have worked on improving feedback loops. In the Czech Republic 
for  example,  an  EQAVET  project  was  launched  in  2017  consisting  among  others  of  the 
development  of  an  app  for  mobile  devices  to  facilitate  the  dissemination  of  information 
about employers' requirements for graduates as well as labour market data. 

Furthermore,  a  high  number  of  EU  Member  States  have  focused  specifically  on  the 
development  of  VET  graduate  tracking  measures  as  part  of  their  quality  assurance 
arrangements. Greece has developed a more comprehensive and systematic VET graduate 
tracking mechanism, linking labour market needs to VET at a national level. The aim is to 
ensure that enhanced information on VET graduate tracking, as well as skills need forecast, 
are used as valuable input at VET system level in  order  to inform VET policy-making and 
improve VET provision and VET qualifications at all levels. 

In the context of the Council Recommendation on tracking graduates, the Commission has 
set up a joint Expert Group for higher education and VET graduate tracking in 2018. By the 
end  of  2020,  the  Expert  Group  is  expected  to  assess  the  state  of  graduate  tracking  in 
Member States and prepare recommendations to the Commission and Member States how 
to implement the Council Recommendation. 

Quality assurance developments at VET provider level 

Self-assessment  of  VET  providers  is  one  of  the  key  instruments  to  foster  quality  and  to 
develop a culture of quality. Several EU Member States have improved their processes for 
self-assessment  of  VET  providers.  In  Croatia,  several  regional  training  workshops  for  VET 
schools  were  organised  to  provide  support  on  self-assessment  and  promote  a  culture  of 
quality. 

32 

 
The  EQAVET  Framework  also  emphasis  that  learners’  feedback  is  gathered  on  their 
individual  learning  experience  and  on  the  learning  and  teaching  environment.  The  2018 
EQAVET  Forum  was  devoted  to  this  topic  and  several  good  practices  from  inter  alia  the 
Netherlands were discussed and analysed. In the framework of a EU funded project carried 
out  by  the  Romanian  EQAVET  NRP,  Romania  is  developing  a  methodology  to  measure 
students' satisfaction with the way learning outcomes are achieved and assessed. 

Use of EQAVET indicators 

The EQAVET Recommendation includes a set of reference quality indicators for developing 
quality  in  VET  which  can  be  used  to  support  the  development  and  improvement  of  VET 
systems and/or VET providers. Many EU Member States are using these EQAVET indicators 
to improve their QA arrangements and to exchange good practices with other EU Members 
States on these issues. 

Sweden focused on strengthening quality assurance in VET by identifying mechanisms that 
can  be  used  by  the  National  Agency  for  Education  and  national  programme  councils  for 
analysing the quality in VET and for quality development over time. Study visits to other EU 
Members States were organised to learn from and be inspired by the QA-process in other 
EU Member States and to analyse how EQAVET indicators are used, as well as to learn how 
stakeholders and VET providers on a systemic and local level cooperate to increase quality 
in VET education in other EU Member States. 

Governance 

The  EQAVET  Recommendation  asks  Member  States  to  establish  a  Quality  assurance 
National Reference Point for VET (NRPs) that is linked to the relevant structures and quality 
assurance set up of the Member State. The NRPs are bringing together existing specialised 
bodies and partners, supporting self-evaluation as a complementary and effective means 
of quality assurance and disseminating information on EQAVET to national partners. 

These  EQAVET  NRPs  constitute  the  EQAVET  Network  comprising  representatives  from  all 
countries  that  signed  up  to  deliver  EQAVET,  as  well  as  members  of  the  European 
Commission, Education and Training Foundation, Cedefop, social partners and the EQAVET 
Secretariat. 

Support  is  provided  to  countries  through  frequently  organised  Peer  Learning  Activities, 
where  participants  discuss  effective  practice  around  priority  areas  identified  by  the 
Network.  Additionally,  materials  and  resources  are  provided  by  the  EQAVET  Secretariat, 
including examples of good practice and guidance documents. 

Specific issues are also explored through EQAVET Network working groups. Working groups 
have been established for a range of topics, including adult learning and CVET, the use of 
EQAVET  indicators,  international  quality  management  standards  such  as  EFQM  and  ISO 
standards. 

In  addition,  an  Annual  EQAVET  Forum  is  organised  during  the  European  Vocational  Skills 
Week since 2016. The Forum is used to discuss VET quality assurance issues and to reach 
out to an audience outside the EQAVET Network. 

According  to  the  2019  Study  on  ECVET  and  EQAVET,  EQAVET  users  generally  reported  a 
range of strengths with the current EQAVET governance structure. The NRPs were generally 
considered to provide a necessary point of contact in national authorities to drive forward 
national developments in QA, by playing the role as “national advocates for EQAVET”.  

33 

 
Furthermore,  the  establishment  of  NRPs  was  also  reported  to  have  resulted  in  a 
‘community  of  practice’  which  facilitates  the  exchange  of  good  practices.  Many  EQAVET 
NRP  representatives  also  reported  examples  where  they  had  contacted  other  NRPs  to 
discuss their practice and how they overcome implementation challenges.  

However,  several  EQAVET  NRP  representatives  stated  that  the  EQAVET  Network  was  too 
diverse given that it involves policy makers, funders, QA specialists and practitioners. Each 
of  these  sub  groups  prefer  to  focus  on  different  aspects  which  means  that  some  issues 
cannot be discussed in sufficient depth. 

Since  2016,  EQAVET  NRPs  can  also  apply  for  a  call  for  proposals  for  EQAVET  NRPs.  The 
general objective of these calls for proposals is to support EQAVET NRPs to further develop 
quality assurance mechanisms in VET in line with the EQAVET Recommendation as well as 
to focus on specific topics such as improving graduate tracking and making use of graduate 
tracking data in their quality assurance systems. 

In the framework of the 2019 EQAVET NRP call for proposals, 20 projects were selected for 
a  total  amount  of  around  2.5  million  Euro.  These  projects  focus  on  the  following  main 
topics: 

improving links between the VET providers and the labour market; 
improving quality assurance mechanisms and indicators at system and/or provider level; 

  supporting the development of a culture of continuous Quality Assurance (QA) in VET; 
  collecting data concerning skill need forecast; 
 
 
  developing and or improving comprehensive and reliable graduate tracking systems; 
  disseminating quality assurance principles; 
  promoting work-based learning; 
  developing and/or implementing feedback loops and flexible learning pathways; 
  adopting and/or improving the learning outcomes approach. 

Box 1 - Concrete examples of work of EQAVET NRP  

Austria:  The  "train  the  trainer"  concept  and  its  pilot  training  as  a  valuable  means  to 
enhance the knowledge of the trainers and teachers;  

Bulgaria:  Promotion  of  EU  practices  linked  to  feedback  loops  (guidelines  on  how  to  use 
leading indicators);  

Croatia: Development and piloting of VET graduate tracking mechanisms;  

Czech Republic: The training programmes for I-VET and C-VET cooperation to bridge the 
generation  gap  were  designed  in  line  with  the  EQAVET  quality  cycle  and  respond  to  the 
priorities of the New Skills Agenda;  

Finland: Guide for quality management of qualification design, assessment and validation;  

Germany:  Renewed  portal  with  relevant  information  on  quality  assurance  in  work-based 
learning  based  on  recent  VET  studies.  The  portal  provides  relevant  information  on  the 
German dual system;  

Greece: A methodological framework to tackle skills gaps;  

Hungary: A set of guidelines for career tracking at VET provider level were developed and 
tested;  

Italy: Survey on training for VET trainers and quality system in 20 Italian regions;  

34 

 
Latvia: recommendations on work-based learning and on how QA can be improved in the 
Latvian context;  

Lithuania: Survey on companies’ satisfaction with competences of VET graduates;  

The  Netherlands:  Guidelines  for  teachers  and  students  on  how  to  enhance  the  quality 
culture;  

Romania: The involvement of students and parents in the debate around quality assurance 
in VET and the EQAVET framework. Good feedback on project's impact;  

Slovakia: The European Peer Review Methodology adapted to the Slovak context;  

Slovenia: Transnational review of EQAVET tools to promote transparency and mutual trust;  

Sweden:  Cross-sectoral  discussions  and networking  among  National  Programme  Councils 
representing different economic sectors;  

b)  ECVET 

The ECVET Recommendation adopted in 2009 defines a technical framework to assess and 
document  learning  outcomes  –  the  knowledge,  skills  and  competences  developed  by 
learners.  It  also  aimed  to  serve  as  a  means  to  facilitate  labour  mobility  by  enhancing 
transparency and recognition of such learning outcomes. 

ECVET is based on the following principles: 

  Qualifications  are  made  up  of  learning  outcome  units  that  can  each  be  assessed 

and validated;  

  Assessed  units  of  learning  outcomes  represent  the  learners’  credit,  which  can  be 
transferred to another country or setting and cumulated towards a full qualification. 

The validation or certification of parts of qualifications, which are the responsibility of the 
competent bodies in accordance with national provisions, allow that different units can be 
certified  following  learning  experience  in  different  countries,  contexts  (i.e.  through 
validation  of  work  experience),  and  timeframes  (i.e.  continuing  training  distributed  over 
time). As a result, learning pathways become more flexible and mobility is supported.  

This section takes stock of the 10 years of ECVET implementation. It is based on the 2014 
external evaluation, on Cedefop reports, on the follow up by the Education Audiovisual and 
Culture Executive Agency of relevant pilot projects as well as on the 2019 study on EU VET 
instruments. 

ECVET at VET system level 

One  the  main  important  areas  of  ECVET’s  influence  at  national  level  have  been  on 
increasing  the introduction and implementation of learning outcomes approaches and  the 
structuring of qualifications into units or groups of learning outcomes. 

The concept and use of groups or units of learning outcomes have been central to reforms 
of VET systems in a variety of countries: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Malta and Romania 
attributed  a  strong  influence  of  ECVET  on  their  substantive  VET  reforms.  In  Romania, 
ECVET,  in  conjunction  with  the  EQF,  has  been  the  main  pillar  for  the  revision  of 
qualifications in the technical VET system, for example. 

35 

 
 
Box 2 - Examples ECVET contribution to reforms at VET system level 

In the French Community of Belgium, the ECVET-inspired certification by units of learning 
outcomes – where each unit is certified and becomes transferable – was a major element 
within a comprehensive reform of the VET system, also linked to the NQF.  

In  Finland,  VET  qualifications  were  already  divided  into  units  and  a  credit  system  was 
applied  before  ECVET  was  launched.  However,  following  a  sustained  testing  phase,  the 
ECVET principles have been introduced in the reforms of the qualification and credit system 
in force since August 2015. 

In  Romania,  where  qualifications  were  already  composed  of  units,  ECVET  triggered  the 
development of a credit system for initial VET. It will be implemented when the NQF is fully 
established. 

In 2012 Malta, building on the project VET-CCS, modified its well-established NQF to better 
take  into  account  the  validation  of  prior  learning  and  to  prepare  the  ground  for  the 
conversion  of  VET  qualifications  into  an  ECVET  format,  with  transferable  units  and  point 
allocation. 

ECVET for better mobility 

ECVET has strongly contributed to  the development of better-quality  mobility experiences 
for  VET  learners,  through  more  effective  agreement  on,  and  documentation,  of  learning 
outcomes.  In  some  countries  this  has  reinforced  the  shift  to  use  learning  outcomes 
acquired  abroad  to  obtain  a  VET  qualification,  while  also  ensuring  that  the  mobility 
experience  is  better  structured,  organised  and  quality  assured.  In  addition,  ECVET  has 
contributed  in  a  few  countries  to  developing  more  flexible  vocational  pathways  both 
generally (AT, MT, FI) and for learners facing barriers to learning (IE, HU, PT). Nevertheless, 
it is recognised that its contribution to increasing flexible learning pathways for  upskilling 
and reskilling could be greater.  

On the other hand, some stakeholders argue that the concept of units of learning outcomes 
which are to be assessed and certified separately for accumulation are incompatible with 
the key characteristics of their VET qualifications. It has also had less success with the use 
of ECVET credit points to transfer assessed learning outcomes. Countries which implement 
national credit point systems for VET programmes or ECTS for mobility have not adopted 
ECVET  points  for  mobility  outcomes.  Despite  the  fact  that  ECVET  is  being  implemented 
since 10 years, it did not result in the establishment of an EU credit system in VET.  

Governance 

The  Commission,  following  the  adoption  of  the  ECVET  Recommendation,  has  promoted  a 
network  of  ECVET  stakeholders  and  set  up  the  ECVET  Users’  Group,  which  is  the  main 
governance  body. 
includes  national  representatives,  social  partners  and  other 
stakeholders,  and  meets  on  average  twice  a  year.  The  wider  network  includes  more  than 
2,000 members, and is used as a dissemination list; some 100 – 200 members participate 
in the ECVET Forum organised once a year. 

It 

In  several  Member  States  national  contact  or  coordination  points  for  ECVET  (NCPs)  have 
been designated and which are financed through grants allocated to the Erasmus+ National 
Agencies.  As  they  are  not  foreseen  in  the  ECVET  Recommendation,  they  don’t  share  any 
terms of reference and their nature, role and activity vary significantly between countries.  

36 

 
  
The  funding  provided  to  National  Erasmus+  Agencies  to  implement  ECVET  is  used  to 
support  and  coordinate  national  teams  of  ECVET  experts.  The  teams  provide  a  pool  of 
expertise who promote the adoption, the application and the use of ECVET at national level 
and provide counselling to VET relevant competent bodies and institutions.  

The teams of experts provide primarily consultancy to VET providers in the development of 
a better-quality mobility experience, namely in the application of the ECVET templates and 
defining,  assessing  and  recognising  (units  of)  learning  outcomes  related  to  transnational 
mobility experience. This need is intensified by the growing emphasis on long-term mobility 
measures  including  ErasmusPro.  In  some  countries,  the  growing  number  of  private 
providers presents a new target group. As mobility is becoming more a formally integrated 
element  of  national  VET  programmes,  it  increases  the  need  for  awareness  about  and 
application of the EU instruments including ECVET.  

Some  National  Agencies conduct an expanded ECVET work where the primary focus  is on 
the  application  of  the  learning  outcomes  approach  in  different  contexts  as  a  means  to 
improve  quality.  Within  the  VET  community,  VET  providers  (teachers,  headmasters, 
assessors) are frequently targeted  to be informed about the use of learning outcomes in 
teaching and particularly in assessment but also in developing training programmes. ECVET 
teams contribute to exploiting ECVET as a tool to increase quality of domestic work-based 
learning schemes as well.  

ECVET  aims  to  contribute  to  mutual  trust  among  the  various  actors  involved  in  VET  in 
national and international level. A number of ECVET teams work towards the application of 
ECVET to increase the transparency and flexibility of national qualifications systems and to 
facilitate lifelong learning. ECVET is also tested and used to contribute to quality assurance 
of  validation  policies  and  practices  and  to  build  flexible  pathways  in  adult  learning 
provision. Promoting ECVET as a tool to support permeability between higher education and 
VET is being exploited as well by several ECVET teams. The national teams work together 
with experts and contact points of other transparency and flexibility EU instruments such as 
EQF  and  EUROPASS  NCPSs,  EQAVET,  Euroguidance,  ECTS,  EPALE,  EFQEA  dependent  on 
national policy priorities.  

c)  Apprenticeships 

The  Council  adopted  on  15  March 2018  a  Recommendation  on  a  European  Framework 
the 
for  Quality  and  Effective  Apprenticeships 
Commission’s  proposal  of  October  2017.  The  Framework  sets  out  14  criteria  to  define 
quality  and  effective  apprenticeships,  ensuring  both  the  development  of  job-related  skills 
and  the  personal  development  of  apprentices.  It  takes  into  account  the  diversity  of 
vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  systems  across  the  EU  and  respects  the  Member 
States' competence in the area of VET.  

(2018/C  153/01),  following 

The  Council  Recommendation  on  a  European  Framework  for  Quality  and  Effective 
Apprenticeships (EFQEA) sets out 14 criteria to define quality and effective apprenticeships 
(see below). 

37 

 
 
 
 
 
Table 1: Criteria for quality and effective apprenticeships 

7 criteria for  
learning and working conditions 

7 criteria for  
framework conditions 

1.  Written agreement 
2.  Learning outcomes 
3.  Pedagogical support 
4.  Workplace component 
5.  Pay or compensation 
6.  Social protection 
7.  Work, health and safety conditions 

1.  Regulatory framework 
2.  Involvement of social partners 
3.  Support for companies 
4.  Flexible pathways and mobility 
5.  Career guidance and awareness 

raising 

6.  Transparency 
7.  Quality assurance and tracking of 

apprentices 

To  support  implementation  of  the  Recommendation  the  Commission  has  set  up  an 
Apprenticeship  Support  Services  and  is  carrying  out  conducting  awareness  raising 
campaigns such as the European Vocational Skills Week. 

d)  Upskilling Pathways 

The  Recommendation  Upskilling  Pathways  targets  low-qualified  adults, a  large  vulnerable 
group who have at best achieved a lower secondary education qualification, i.e. those who 
most  need  to  upskill  and  are  least  motivated  to  do  so.  It  supports  those  adults  with  low 
levels  of  skills  and  qualifications  to  enhance  their  literacy,  numeracy  and  digital  skills 
and/or to acquire a broader set of skills by progressing towards higher qualifications.  

The  Commission  Staff  Working  Document  “Taking  stock  of  implementation  measures”, 
February  2019,  found  that  many  of  the  measures  targeting  low  skilled  adults  promote 
vocational  and  job  specific  skills.  What  is  less  clear  is  whether  they  adequately  deliver 
missing basic skills, therefore, more work is required to ensure that basic literacy, numeracy 
and digital skills are embedded when necessary in tailored VET offers.  

Another characteristic is that measures reported are largely project-driven, often with ESF 
support,  but  a  few  countries  do  have  a  more  sustainable  approach  incorporated  in 
mainstream  VET  supply  (Finland),  or  more  permanent  procedures  to  deliver  basic  skills 
(Austria, Denmark) as a precursor to VET.  

Efforts to tailor learning to individual needs, incorporating the three steps, are not yet 
the  norm  and  countries  are  at  very  different  stages  of  development  but  are  producing 
some interesting results, which also impact  on  the flexibility of VET programmes and the 
offer of more tailored pathways.  

Modularisation  of  programmes  is  growing;  modules  are  widely  applied  across  further 
education and training in Ireland; competence-based system in Finland; modular vocational 
training  and  professional  development  programmes  for  unemployed  people  were 
introduced in Latvia; a modular basic skills programme in Croatia, and a modular format in 
both VET and second chance programmes in Romania. Access to single-subject courses in 
Denmark and the possibility to take subject at different levels concurrently offers greater 
flexibility  for  tailoring,  as  does  the  option  to  combine  parts  of  various  programmes  in 
Sweden  –  VET  with  upper  secondary,  basic  skills  and  language  learning  with  VET,  or  an 

38 

 
 
individual study plan at a Folk High School, while the VET offer for long term-unemployed 
or newly arrived people is tailored to local occupational shortages.  

3.3.2.  Fostering exchanges and mutual learning 

Working groups on VET and adult learning 

The European Commission facilities groups of Member State experts and representatives of 
social  partners  and  civil  society  that  examine  national  policy  and  good  practice  from 
different  countries,  look  at  the  evidence  from  research,  and  draw  up  key  conclusions  and 
recommendations. 

In 2018-2020, the ET 2020 Working Group on Vocational Education and Training (VET) 
focuses  on  ‘Innovation  and  Digitalisation:  Boosting  high-quality  VET  and  Higher  VET’.  The 
purpose  is  to  discuss  innovation  and  digitalisation  in  view  of  creating  more  flexible  and 
modern  high  quality  VET  systems.  This  reflection  is  being  carried  out  taking  into  account 
also  other  key  elements,  such  as  governance  and  financing  under  tight  public  budgets, 
relevant national strategies and tools and focussing on different stakeholders' perspectives. 

The key issues have been ranked, namely new pedagogical approaches, adapting curricula 
to labour markets, including key competences, new learning environments, use of modern 
learning technologies, flexible VET systems, quality and excellence in VET, governance and 
funding, as well as support to VET mobility.  As part of the work of the group, a mapping 
exercise on VET excellence approaches in Europe was carried out.  

In  the  area  of  adult  learning,  in  the  period  2016-2018  the  working  group  focused  on 
developing policy guidance on adult learning at the work place. The final report highlighted 
that adult learning in the workplace can make a significant contribution because it: 

 

 

 

is  an  accessible  and  attractive  way  for  adults  to  maintain  and  update  the  knowledge 
and skills they need for life, at work and at home. 
is an efficient and effective way for employers to keep their employees’ skills sets up to 
date,  motivate  their  workforce  and  improve  staff  retention,  as  well  as  to  improve 
competitiveness. 
is  an  economical  and  targeted  way  for  Member  States  to  increase  their  productivity, 
innovation  and  modernisation,  maintain  their  competitiveness  and  employment  rates 
and raise overall skills levels. 

  supports  social  and  economic  (re-)integration  of  vulnerable  groups,  inclusion,  social 

cohesion and equality.  

  meets  individuals’,  employers’  and  society’s  needs  for  greater  adaptability  to  better 

prepare for future skills needs, mitigating projected skills shortages. 
improves adults’ lifelong employability.  

 

In the period 2018-2020 the group focuses on polices that can empower adult individuals 
to learn. 

Mutual learning workshops 

The  Commission  designed  and  implemented  new  innovative  high-level  mutual  learning 
programme  for  Member  States  in  order  to  build  their  capacity  for  the  development  of 
concrete  actions  to  make  Upskilling  Pathways  a  reality.  The  first  two  series  organised 
between 2017 and 2019 were instrumental in building up national networks and mobilising 
countries to take decisive steps towards the implementation. As an immediate result, many 

39 

 
of the participating countries were successful in the targeted call for  proposals under the 
EaSI  programme  or  are  undertaking  major  reforms  also  with  the  support  of  the  reform 
Support programme set up by the Commission.  

DGVT Peer reviews 

One  of  the  forms  of  mutual  learning  activities  in  the  field  of  VET  carried  out  between 
2015-2020  were  peer  review  exercised  organised  within  the  meetings  of  the  Directors-
General for Vocational Education and Training. They were used to discuss in details specific 
challenges and best practices of Member States in a number of topics linked to successful 
VET  systems  and  country  specific  recommendations:  national  reforms  and  policies  on 
apprenticeships  in  2016  in  Slovakia,  teachers  and  training  in  apprenticeships  and  work-
based learning and tracking VET graduates. 

3.3.3.  Policy initiatives  

EAfA and Apprenticeships support services 

In  2013,  the  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  was  launched  in  response  to  the 
youth unemployment crisis in Europe. It aims to strengthen the supply, quality, image and 
mobility of apprenticeships, and it is open to EU Member States, Candidate countries, EFTA 
countries and stakeholders from these.  

Altogether, 36 countries have made national commitments under the Alliance, including 27 
EU  Member  States  (bar  the  UK),  all  5  Candidate  countries  and  all  4  EFTA  countries.  Also, 
314 pledges were made by various apprenticeship stakeholders by the end of 2019. Since 
2013,  companies,  employers  and  intermediaries  have  pledged  to  provide  over  900,000 
apprenticeship and other training or first-job opportunities to young people.  

Figure 10: Pledgers in the European Alliance for Apprenticeships 

In  May  2017  the  Commission  initiated  the  European  Apprentices  Network  (EAN), 
together  with  the  European  Youth  Forum  (EYF)  and  the  Organising  Bureau  of  European 
School Student Unions (OBESSU). As apprentices themselves had little opportunities to bring 
their  contribution  to  discussions  related  to  VET  and  apprenticeships,  this  network  aims  at 
giving a voice to European apprentices and enable them to support EU policy making and 
implementation of apprenticeship policies. 

The  network  actively  contributes  to  EAfA  meetings  and  its  members  present  the  EAN 
position  on  quality  apprenticeships  in  various  meetings,  conferences,  events.  In  February 
2018 they have drafted a position paper presenting the Network's view on key priorities for 

40 

 
 
quality apprenticeships. Moreover, the European Youth Forum's newly adopted Position on 
Quality Apprenticeships is largely based on the EAN work. 

As  the  key  follow-up  action  to  the  Council  Recommendation  on  EFQEA,  the  Commission 
launched an Apprenticeship Support Services at the European Vocational Skills Week in 
Vienna in November 2018. The aim is to support Member States in their reform process to 
improve apprenticeship systems. The Support Services is built on three pillars: 

  a knowledge-hub to share and access information relevant to apprenticeship design and 
delivery and to have a simplified access to apprenticeships related studies, evidence or 
statistical data;  

  a  networking  hub  to  facilitate  the  exchange  of  ideas  and  the  development  of 

cooperation amongst stakeholders; 

  Benchlearning  (a  combination  of  benchmarking  and  peer  learning)  to  provide  a 
structured  process  and  approach  to  mutual  learning  among  Member  States  on 
improving their apprenticeship systems. 

Within  its  first  year,  the  Services  actively  supported  EAfA  stakeholders  and  in  particular 
Member  States  in  promoting  the  supply  and  quality  of  apprenticeships:  key  deliverables 
include, among others, the gradual deployment of online training materials, the launch of a 
series  of  webinars,  as  well  a  survey  to  evaluate  the  results  of  EAfA  and  to  better 
understand the needs of EAfA members. 25 Member States were mobilised to take part in 
the  bench-learning  process,  with  the  first  bench-learning  cycle  to  be  launched  in  early 
2020. 

European Vocational Skills Week 

The European Vocational Skills Week (EVSW) is a European campaign implemented by an 
external contractor and supervised/organised by the European Commission, which aims to 
highlight VET as a great alternative to traditional education routes. It mobilises events and 
activities  at  local,  regional  and  national  level  combined  with  events  organised  by  the 
Commission during a specific week.  

Work  began  on  a  dedicated  "VET  Week"  in  mid-2016,  inspired  by  discussions  with 
associations  of  VET  providers.  A  series  of  Brussels-based,  policy  and  practice-focused 
events  were  organised  backed  by  a  broad  communications  campaign  to  reach  VET 
stakeholders across Member States, and ultimately to citizens more widely.  The exercise 
was  repeated  in  2017,  with  a  second  European  campaign,  complemented  by  European 
events in Brussels from 20-24 November. 2017 introduced two new elements by focusing 
on activities in Member States and by defining main topics for events (business-education 
partnerships,  VET  from  a  sectoral  perspective,  and  the  importance  of  mobility  in  VET).  In 
2018,  the  EVSW  was  moved  to  the  capital  of  the  European  Union’s  Council  Presidency 
(Austria).  It  introduced  on-line  voting  for  EVSW  awards,  a  separate  awards  nominations 
celebration  evening,  and  new  award  categories  (e.g.  Erasmus+,  ESF).  The  focus  of  the 
events  was  on  the  future  of  VET.  In  2019,  the  EVSW  (in  Helsinki  under  the  Finnish 
Presidency) was focused on VET for all  – Skills for  Life. 2020 (in Berlin, under the future 
German  Presidency,  the  Week’s  fifth  anniversary)  will  focus  on  VET  for  excellence  in  a 
digital era.  

Building on the initial success experienced in 2016, the European Commission set targets 
every  year  to  increase  the  impact  of  Week-associated  events/activities.  These  were  the 
results achieved, including targets for 2020. 

41 

 
Table 2: Achievements of the European Vocational Skills Week 2016-2019 

Category 

Events/activities 
in countries 

Outreach through 
these 
events/activities 

Achievements 

2016 

2017 

2018 

2019 

Growth 
2019/2016 

2020 
Targets 

983 

1.585 

1.800 

1.749 

78% 

2.000 

800.000 

986.000 

2.400.000 

2.700.000 

238% 

2.500.000 

3.3.4.  EU funding and support programmes 

The ESF’s mission is to promote high levels of employment, and investments in education 
and training are key for tomorrow's employability. To this end, in 2014-2020 one-third of 
the Fund’s total EU budget is allocated to education and training investments  – over 27.2 
billion EUR out of EUR 84 billion.  

The  Fund  supports  the  entire  education  cycle  from  early  childhood  education  to  adult 
learning, and includes higher education and vocational education and training to make sure 
that people get the right knowledge and skills at all stages of life.  In this, the ESF places a 
particular  focus  on  equal  access  for  disadvantaged  groups.  Between  2014  and  2018, 
almost 9 million people have had the opportunity to upskill or reskill thanks to ESF support. 

Within  this  thematic  objective,  a  significant  budget  is  dedicated  to  actions  supporting 
vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  and  adult  learning.  These  include  €7,2  billion  for 
lifelong  learning  and  upgrading  the  skills  of  the  workforce  and  €6,8  billion  for 
strengthening  vocational  education  and  training  systems  (for  more  information  see  Table 
3). 

By end 2018, 1.7 million people have directly benefitted from actions aimed at improving 
the  overall  education  and  training  systems  and  the  transition  from  education  to  work. 
Thanks to the ESF support, Member States have invested in skills anticipation, adaptation of 
curricula  and  the  establishment  and  development  of  work-based  learning  systems, 
including dual learning systems and apprenticeship schemes.  

As  proposed  by  the  Commission,  the  European  Social  Fund  Plus  (ESF+)  will  continue  to 
support education and training at all levels, with a particular focus on digital skills, and will 
be  the  main  EU  instrument  to  support  the  development  of  green  skills.  The  ESF+  will 
support  the  upskilling  and  re-skilling  of  5  million  people  for  green  jobs  and  the  green 
economy. 

Table 3 - Distribution of total ESF Thematic objective 10 allocations to selected 
projects by area of intervention and Member State* 

Pre-
primary 
education 
0.0% 
0.0% 
0.0% 

Primary 
education  
0.8% 
1.2% 
0.0% 

AT 
BE 
BG 

General upper-
secondary & 
post-secondary 
education/ 
training 
5.8% 
10.0% 
62.3% 

Vocational upper-
secondary & post-
secondary 
education/training 
63.7% 
7.6% 
4.2% 

Job-related 
(non-formal) 
education/ 
training 
3.6% 
67.2% 
11.0% 

Tertiary 
education 
0.0% 
8.9% 
22.5% 

Not Job-
related 
(non-
formal) 
education/
training 
26.0% 
5.1% 
0.0% 

Total 
(EUR m) 
184.6 
535.8 
229.4 

42 

 
 
 
5.4% 

0.3% 

1.1% 

31.5% 

0.0% 
0.2% 

4.9% 
2.3% 

39.9% 
6.2% 

0.0% 
20.8% 

55.2% 
4.4% 

0.0% 
24.5% 

0.0% 
10.3% 

0.0% 
31.4% 

0.0% 
0.4% 
0.4% 
0.3% 

0.0% 
0.9% 
0.0% 
0.0% 

0.0% 
6.6% 
2.6% 
7.4% 

4.7% 
0.0% 
9.4% 
9.9% 

67.2% 
18.7% 
6.5% 
51.4% 

27.0% 
22.9% 
50.0% 
13.5% 

1.1% 
50.4% 
31.2% 
17.5% 

CY 
CZ 
DE 
DK 
EE 
ES 
FI 
FR 
GR 
HR 
HU 
IE 
IT 
LT 
LU 
LV 
MT 
PL 
PT 
RO 
SE 
SI 
SK 
UK 
EU 
*Countries included in the calculation: AT, BE, BG, CZ, CY, DK, EE, ES, FI, HR, IE, IT, LU, LV, MT, 
PT, RO, SI, UK. 

100.0% 
28.5% 
28.5% 

0.0% 
54.7% 
20.7% 

0.0% 
16.7% 
20.5% 

0.0% 
0.1% 
30.3% 

0.0% 
0.0% 
0.0% 

0.0% 
0.0% 
0.0% 

0.0% 
0.0% 
0.0% 

4.2% 
29.3% 

59.4% 
19.9% 

28.1% 
29.9% 

0.0% 
14.0% 

0.0% 
48.5% 

0.0% 
17.9% 

0.0% 
21.6% 

48.0% 
10.8% 

52.0% 
0.4% 

11.1% 
71.7% 

59.0% 
2.0% 

18.9% 
8.7% 

7.2% 
13.7% 

0.4% 
0.7% 

7.9% 
2.8% 

0.0% 
0.6% 

0.0% 
1.3% 

0.0% 
2.6% 

3.8% 
0.0% 

37.7% 

16.2% 

43.0% 

13.7% 

32.6% 

7.9% 

0.6% 

2.1% 

6.1% 

1.9% 

28.8 
1,040.3 

95.4 
200.6 
2,870.7 
190.6 

294.1 

192.5 
3,268.5 

7.9 
238.8 
40.6 

3,925.6 
484.6 

251.1 

1,784.3 
0.0% 
3.3%  17,876.2 

Source: Contractor’s processing on list of operations published by Member States 

The  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF)  invests  in  education,  training  and 
lifelong learning infrastructure and equipment. ESF+ and ERDF work in complementarities 
to create incentives for educational reforms, including development of skills. In the 2014-
2020 programming period EUR 6,2 billion will be invested in education, training and lifelong 
learning  from  ERDF,  nearly  EUR  1  billion  of  that  in  vocational  and  adult  education 
infrastructure and equipment.  

Education,  training  and lifelong  learning  remain  a  priority  in  the  Commission  proposal  for 
the 2021-2027 period, in the framework of the policy objective 4, ‘A More social Europe - 
implementing  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights’,  where  ERDF  will  focus  on  improving 
access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and life-long learning through 
developing infrastructure.  

Development  of  skills  should  be  considered  as  integral  part  of  developing  and 
implementing  national  or  regional  Smart  specialisation  strategies,  which  implies  a  close 
cooperation between education, business and wider society. As a novelty in the 2021-2027 
programming period, it is proposed that ERDF may support certain skills development under 
specific  objective  4  ‘Developing  skills  for  smart  specialisation,  industrial  transition  and 
entrepreneurship’  of  policy  objective  1,  ‘A  smarter  Europe  by  promoting  innovative  and 
smart economic transformation’. This support will focus on the smart specialisation priority 
areas  identified  in  the  entrepreneurial  discovery  process.  It  could  include  Innovation 
management  trainings  in  SMEs,  re-skilling  and  upskilling  within  firms,  strengthening  the 
integration  of  education  and  training  institutions  including  high  education  and  centres  of 
vocational excellence within national and regional innovation, and other.  

The Erasmus+ Programme enables millions of young Europeans to study, train or learn 
abroad  while  broadening  their  experience  and  awareness  of  Europe,  and  increasing  their 

43 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
future  chances  on  the  job  market.  It  finances  also  the  mobility  of  teachers,  trainers  and 
staff for teaching or training. 

In  the  area  of  Vocational  Education  and  Training,  €3.1  Billion  has  been  available  in  the 
period  2014-2020  for  mobility,  strategic  partnerships  and  policy  cooperation  in  VET, 
directly supporting the Riga policy priorities.). It has also played a key role in developing VET 
business partnerships aimed at promoting work-based learning in all its forms, with special 
attention  to  apprenticeship  training,  by  involving  social  partners,  companies  and  VET 
providers.  

Long-term mobility (i.e. 3-12 months duration) of VET learners has been promoted through 
introducing the ErasmusPro activity into the programme as of 2018, with the objective to 
facilitate  long-term  placements  in  working  environments  in  another  country,  and  provide 
young people with job specific vocational skills, as well as key competences and transversal 
skills. 

The programme has also supported the work to raise the attractiveness and image of VET 
through the European Vocational Skills Week. 

The Erasmus Programme post-2020, as proposed by the Commission, will be substantially 
reinforced,  extended  and  more  inclusive.  It  will  provide  strengthened  support  to  VET,  via 
increased  opportunities  for  mobility  of  learners  and  teachers,  trainers  and  staff; 
partnerships; opening up  towards the world with the new  international dimension; as well 
as the support to the Centres of vocational excellence. 

According  to  the  Commission  proposal  for  Erasmus+,  the  programme  will  further 
strengthen the support for  the mobility of VET learners and staff. When compared to the 
current  funding  period, the  increase  in  the  proposed  budget  for  the  period  2021  to  2027 
will allow  to significantly increase the number of people benefiting from VET mobility. As 
the  demand  is  much  higher  than  what  the  current  budget  can  finance,  this  budgetary 
increase  seems  particularly  relevant  and  it  will  reinforce  the  opportunity  for  learning  or 
work  experience  abroad,  to  be  better  prepared  for  the  labour  market;  improve  self-
confidence, language skills, and the ability to interact with people, as well as the readiness 
to get to know other cultures. The programme will also offer people in continuing education 
the  opportunity  to  live  a  mobility  experience  while  they  are  upskilling  and  reskilling.  The 
opportunity  for  international  mobility  of  learners  and  VET  staff  in  the  same  way  as  for 
higher education in the current program, is also foreseen. 

In the Commission proposal, it is suggested to give more attention to study fields linked to 
green  and  digital  skills,  such  as  renewable  energy,  climate  change,  environmental 
engineering,  and  artificial  intelligence.  The  links  between  Erasmus  and  ESF  will  be 
reinforced, including by allowing the topping up of the Erasmus grants to support learners 
with fewer opportunities to engage in mobility; or by scaling up at national level successful 
projects in the Erasmus programme 

In its proposal, the Commission emphasises the promotion and quality of VET through the 
development  of  international  networks  and  partnerships.  In  this  context,  support  will  be 
given  to  Platforms  of  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence  (CoVEs)  –  see  section  5.4.1  - 
bringing  together  VET  providers,  national  and  regional  authorities,  companies,  research 
institutions, social partners, public employment services and other stakeholders.  

The  European  Agricultural  Fund  for  Rural  Development  (EAFRD)  supports  European 
policy on rural development across the Member States and the regions of the Union. As one 
of  the  objectives  for  the  2014-20  programming  period,  the  Fund  focuses  on  achieving  a 

44 

 
balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities including the creation 
and maintenance of employment. Its priorities related to fostering knowledge transfer and 
innovation  in  agriculture,  forestry  and  rural  areas  and  promoting  social  inclusion,  poverty 
reduction and economic development in rural areas deliver important contributions to skills 
development in the sector.  

Some  activities  funded  under  the  EU  programme  for  employment  and  innovation 
(EaSI)  to  support  implementation  of  the  Upskilling  Pathways  Recommendation,  more  or 
less  directly  related  to  vocational  education  and  training.  The  EaSI  programme  is  also 
funding  call  for  proposals  to  support  Upskilling  Pathways,  mainly  aimed  at  national  or 
regional  public  authorities  as  lead  applicants,  often  with  a  consortium  of  strategic 
stakeholders.  

The  European  agenda  for  vocational  education  and  training  is  also  supported  by  the 
Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) that provides tailor-made support to all 
EU  countries  for  their  institutional,  administrative  and  growth-enhancing  reforms.  Among 
the  different  policy  areas,  the  Directorate  General  for  Structural  Reform  Support  -  DG 
REFORM - provides technical support directly to Member States upon their request in their 
endeavour to design and implement reforms in the fields of skills, education and training.  

In  2018,  BG,  ES  and  PT  have  been  kick-started  projects  in  the  field  of  VET  and  adult 
learning,  as  well  as  BE-FR,  BE-NL,  HU,  NL  and  PT  in  2019  –  for  instance  on  structural 
implementation  of  dual  learning  in  Flanders  or  to  support  ES  in  the  design  of  quality 
framework for  the implementation of Dual VET. In 2020, SRSP support was  requested  by 
France,  Greece  and  Luxemburg  to  raise  the  effectiveness  of  their  VET  systems,  by 
improving  the  implementation of  their  models of Centres for  Vocational Excellence in  the 
first two cases and updating the national VET strategy.  

To help drive inclusive and sustainable growth, and convergence, for the next MFF (2021-
27)  Commission  proposes  a  new  Reform  Support  Programme  that  will  include 
instruments  providing  financing  to  support  the  implementation  of  recommendations 
provided in the European Semester, including in the area of education, training and skills. 

The  European  Fund  for  Strategic  Investments  (EFSI)  –  the  central  pillar  of  the 
Investment Plan for Europe, the so-called Juncker Plan – helps the EU close the investment 
gap in key strategic areas while creating jobs and enhancing competitiveness. The launch of 
the Skills and Education Guarantee Pilot facility, under EFSI, will continue to strengthen the 
social  dimension  of  the  Juncker  Plan.  The  facility  will  support  three  categories  of  final 
beneficiaries:  (i)  individuals  furthering  their  education  and  skills;  (ii)  enterprises  and  other 
organisations  in  their  effort  to  improve  skills  and  skills  utilisation;  and  (iii)  providers  of 
skills, training and education services or undertakings developing educational/skills projects 
in the education field. The guarantee facility of EUR 50 million will partially cover the credit 
risk  of  the  underlying  loan  portfolio  that  financial  intermediaries  will  extend  to  final 
beneficiaries.  As  a  result,  the  Pilot  will  mobilise  an  additional  investment  of  around  EUR 
250 million to the education and skills sector. 

Box 3 - EFSI support to skills and vocational education and training 

EFSI  financing  has  been  instrumental  in  supporting  actions  that  promote  skills  and 
Vocational Education and Training.  

In 2018, the European Investment Bank (EIB) matched EUR 25 million worth of funding by 
Bankia, a Spanish bank, to make available financing for SMEs and mid-caps in Spain. The 

45 

 
financing  facility  helps  young  people  in  Spain,  including  vocational  training  students, 
integrate better in the labour force. By offering long-term loans to SMEs and mid-caps on 
favourable  terms,  the  initiative  is  an  incentive  to  companies  to  train  and  eventually  hire 
young  unemployed  participating  in  Bankia’s  vocational  training  programme.  In  this  way, 
young  people  put  in  use  acquired  skills  that  can  help  their  long-term  employability  and 
aligns  the  aims  of  this  financial  facility  with  the  vocational  education  and  training 
objectives.  

In this case too, the EIB is able to provide financing support SMEs and midcaps at a higher 
level than would have been possible without EFSI.  

In 2017, Innovation Nest, a venture capital firm backed by the European Investment Fund 
under  EFSI,  provided  an  important  equity  investment  in  Doctrina  a  Slovenian  healthcare 
platform  that  offers  high-quality  online  education  to  pharmacists,  specialist  retailers, 
physicians and other healthcare professionals through interactive video courses. The short 
video  courses,  which  are  accessible  from  anywhere,  help  health  professionals  upgrade 
their skills, enhance their knowledge, and remain up-to-date with the latest developments 
in medicine – crucial attributes to the profession. Course content is certified and can form 
part  of  the  learner’s  continuing  professional  development.  Financing  from  EFSI  helped 
Doctrina to scale-up the business, expand to new countries and develop its products in a 
way that is less costly, more efficient and ultimately more effective since the training can 
reach a wider audience. 

Looking  forward  and  building  on  the  success  of  the  Juncker  Plan,  the  Commission  put 
forward the InvestEU Programme will strengthen investment in the social dimension of 
the Union, supporting the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Financing 
under  InvestEU  is  foreseen  to  consist  of  an  EU  budgetary  guarantee  of  EUR  38  billion, 
covering  four  policy  windows:  (i)  sustainable  infrastructure;  (ii)  research,  innovation  and 
digitisation; (iii) SMEs; and (iv) social investment and skills. In turn, the budgetary guarantee 
is expected to mobilise up to EUR 650 billion of investments in the EU, over the 2021-2027 
period. 

The  Social  Investment  and  Skills  window  will  stimulate  access  to  finance  in  the  areas  of 
microfinance,  social  enterprises,  social  infrastructures,  education  and  training  and  skills. 
More  specifically  on  skills,  InvestEU  will support  upskilling  and  re-skilling  targeting  all  the 
key actors  -  employers, skills,  education and training providers as well as individuals. The 
EUR 4 billion budgetary guarantee earmarked for this window is expected to mobilise EUR 
50 billion in investments for projects supporting EU social and skills policy objectives. 

To  ensure  the  recovery  is  sustainable,  even,  inclusive  and  fair  for  all  Member  States,  the 
European Commission is proposing to create a new recovery instrument, Next Generation 
EU, embedded within a powerful, modern and revamped long-term EU budget. The money 
raised for Next Generation EU will be invested across three pillars: 

1. Support to Member States with investments and reforms: 

  A new  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  of  €560  billion  will  offer  financial 
support for  investments and reforms, including in  relation to the  green and digital 
transitions  and  the  resilience  of  national  economies,  linking  these  to  the  EU 
priorities.  This  facility  will  be  embedded  in  the  European  Semester.  It  will  be 
equipped with a grant facility of up to €310 billion and will be able to make up to 
€250  billion  available  in  loans.  Support  will  be  available  to  all  Member  States  but 
concentrated on the most affected and where resilience needs are the greatest. 

46 

 
  A €55 billion top-up of the current cohesion policy programmes between now 
and  2022  under  the  new  REACT-EU  initiative  to  be  allocated  based  on  the 
severity  of  the  socio-economic  impacts  of  the  crisis,  including  the  level  of  youth 
unemployment and the relative prosperity of Member States.  

  A  proposal  to  strengthen  the  Just  Transition  Fund  up  to  €40  billion,  to  assist 

Member States in accelerating the transition towards climate neutrality. 

  A  €15  billion  reinforcement  for  the  European  Agricultural  Fund  for  Rural 
Development to support rural areas in making the structural changes necessary in 
line with the European Green Deal and achieving the ambitious targets in line with 
the new biodiversity and Farm to Fork strategies. 

4.  POTENTIAL  SCENARIOS  (POLICY  OPTIONS)  FOR  DEVELOPING  FURTHER 

UNION POLICY ON VET 

4.1.  Presentation of the potential scenarios 

As  part  of  its  priorities  for  action  ‘Making  VET  a  first  choice’,  the  2016  Skills  Agenda 
proposed supporting VET modernisation by actions such as: 

  supporting opportunities for learners to undertake a work-based learning experience as 

part of their studies; 

  supporting  opportunities  of  students  to  combine  learning  experiences  acquired  in 

different settings; 

improving data availability on the labour market outcomes of VET; 

  promoting higher VET through partnerships of VET stakeholders;  
 
  exploring  ways  to  streamline  the  existing  EU  level  governance  of  the  VET  sector, 
including  a  more  explicit  coordination  role  for  the  Advisory  Committee  on  Vocational 
Training; 

  and the revision of the EQAVET and the ECVET.  

The present chapter includes in addition to the above also the outcomes of the EQAVET and 
ECVET  review  and  presents  the  possible  policy  options  to  carry  forward  the  topics 
addressed within the overall EU policy context. It is based on the conclusions of the Study 
on EU VET Instruments (EQAVET and ECVET), extensive consultations with Member States, 
social partners and other stakeholders such as VET providers, intermediary bodies, learners' 
organisations,  researchers  and  a  consultation  of  the  EQAVET  and  ECVET  Networks.  The 
analysis is also complemented by the ACVT Opinion on the future of VET and the outcomes 
of the follow-up discussions in the framework of the meetings of the ACVT and DGVT. 

The  study  on  EU  VET  instruments  identified  six  options  for  EQAVET  (see  box  4)  and  five 
options for ECVET (see box 5). 

Box 4 - The different options regarding EQAVET 

Option 1: Enhanced status quo 

Incorporating  a  set  of  core  indicators  utilised  by  all  providers  into  a  new  EQAVET 
Recommendation, as well as the refinements introduced in EQAVET+.  

47 

 
 
Option 2: Embedding the instrument into other existing EU policy instruments 

Implementing EQAVET alongside the implementation of the EQF, with the legal basis of the 
instrument being Annex IV of the EQF recommendation.  

Option  3:  Instruments  become  part  of  a  broader  policy  strategy  framework  for 
VET 

Introducing  of  an  overarching  Recommendation  that  covers  quality  assurance,  flexibility 
and recognition in VET. This would be governed by a single policy group. Sub-groups would 
be used to take forward priority actions for particular instruments and policy areas. A PLA 
programme will exist, which will be instigated by the single policy group.  

Option  4:  Strengthening  the  Recommendation  by  implementing  peer  reviews  of 
Member States' quality assurance arrangements in VET at system level 

Revising the Recommendation to incorporate a core set of descriptors and indicators that 
can be used to carry out peer reviews. The governance structure would remain but include 
a remit to monitor the progress countries are making in developing their QA systems and 
to provide support.  

Option  5:  Aligning  HE  and  VET  instruments,  with  an  ambition  of  converging 
systems across HE and VET 

Creating of an overarching Recommendation for quality in education which provides high-
level principles for QA that both systems adhere to, and sets out tools to do this (ESG in HE 
and EQAVET for VET).  

Option  6:  Introduction  of  a  voluntary  certification  system  for  national  QA 
systems 

Specifying  explicit  expectations  for  national  quality  systems  and  introduce  a  certification 
scheme where countries must ensure their VET QA systems achieve certain standards to be 
certified. These could be graded so they progress towards a standard.  

Source: Study on EU VET instruments 

Box 5: The different options for ECVET 

Option 1: Enhanced status quo 

The  concept  and  definition  of  ECVET  points  which  would  be  revised.  It  would  be 
repositioned as a set ECVET principles rather than emphasising the ‘system’ aspect.  

Option  2:  Embedding  the  functions  of  ECVET  into  other  existing  EU  instruments 
and programmes 

The  promotion  of  VET  mobility  and  flexible  learning  pathways  to  continue,  but 
developments on credits will be implemented as per the provisions in Annex V of the EQF 
recommendation  while  the  ECVET  Memorandum  of  Understanding  and  the  Learning 
Agreement could be  integrated into Europass and the VET mobility charter  could  make it 
compulsory for Erasmus + beneficiaries of mobility actions to follow aspects of ECVET. 

Option 3: VET instruments become part of a broader European policy framework 
for VET 

48 

 
 
Introduction  of  an  overarching  Recommendation  that  covers  quality  assurance,  flexibility 
and recognition in VET. This would be governed by a single policy group. Sub-groups would 
be used to take forward priority actions for particular instruments and policy areas. A PLA 
programme will exist, which will be instigated by the single policy group.  

Option  4:  VET  and  HE  instruments  are  more  aligned  to  each  other,  with  an 
ambition of more convergence between HE and VET 

Introduction of a recommendation incorporating aspects of ECTS and ECVET (e.g. focus on 
learning  outcomes,  MoU,  LA).  Would  also  include  a  redefined  concept  of  units  of  LO  and 
credit points. 

Option 5: European framework for transfer of learning achievements and flexible 
progression pathways 

Facilitating  the  transfer,  recognition  and  accumulation  of  assessed  or  validated  LO 
between  various  contexts  by  proposing  Member  States  recognise  and  document 
achievements and recognise them for  access, admission and exemption. This would build 
on and expand the European Commission Recommendations for VNFIL and the Promoting 
automatic  mutual  recognition  of  HE  and  upper  secondary  education  diplomas  and 
outcomes of learning gained abroad. To aid trust the framework would also specify syntax 
and language for writing learning outcomes.  

Source: Study on EU VET instruments 

The  future  of  the  ECVET  and  EQAVET  was  also  discussed  in  the  ACVT.  The  2018  ACVT 
Opinion on the future of VET invited the Commission to “organise a reflection with experts 
from  the  ACVT  as  regards  the  potential  for  streamlining  existing  VET  instruments  and 
accelerate  the  ongoing  discussions  in  order  to  come  up  with  timely  proposals.  These 
discussions  should  also  be  carried  out  in  close  cooperation  with  the  EQF  and  Europass 
Advisory  Groups.  These  should  be  developed  taking  into  account  existing  evaluations, 
studies and stakeholder’s views in relation to the different instruments and the interaction 
between  them  and an  overarching  analysis  of  these”.  In  addition,  the  Opinion  also  invites 
the  Commission  to  come  up  with  a  proposal  “to  simplify  the  VET  governance  at  EU  level 
notably  through  increased  effectiveness  and  efficiency  of  structures  supporting  the 
implementation of EU instruments in the field of VET.” 

To  this  end,  an  ad-hoc  ACVT  Working  Group  on  existing  European  VET  instruments  was 
established in 2019 in accordance with Article 8 of the Rules and Procedures of the ACVT. 
The Working Group discussed the added value of EU level VET tools. It concluded that the 
direct  EU  added  value  of  the  EU  tools  lies  in  their  capacity  to  support  transparency, 
portability of learning outcomes and qualifications, mobility and movement of learners and 
workers, building mutual trust among systems which is also prerequisite for recognition of 
vocational qualifications by implementing, using and referencing to the tools. The EU tools 
can  also  provide  indirect  added  value  by  promoting  “upward  convergence”  related  to 
flexibility,  quality  and  excellence  in  VET  as  well  as  overall  effectiveness  and  efficiency  in 
VET through cooperation, mutual learning and exchanges. 

To explore the synergies between EQAVET/ECVET and other European tools and initiatives 
and to seek for the simplification and streamlining of EU level VET cooperation, the Working 
Group  mapped  and  discussed  the  different  aspects  of  the  implementation  framework  of 
the tools such as the possible integration or alignment of their function and content to the 
policy objectives of other instruments/tools/initiatives applied in the field of VET, skills and 

49 

 
qualification,  the  possible  legislative  implications,  the  potential  structures  for  governance 
responding to the needs of “increased effectiveness and efficiency”, working methods at EU 
and Member State level and the available funding.  

The  ACVT  Working  Group  indicated  that  the  ECVET  objectives  related  to  flexibility  and 
learning  outcomes  approach  in  VET  are still  valid  and  should  be  pursued  further,  but  this 
could  also  be  done  through  other  EU  tools  and  instruments.  These  objectives  should 
continue  to  be  at  the  core  of  the  VET  policy  framework  –  as  called  also  under  the  ACVT 
Opinion on the future of VET - and could be further developed under a new overarching VET 
Recommendation.  There  is  no  need  for  a  specific  instrument  focusing  only  on  VET  –  the 
implementation arrangements related to EQF and Validation Recommendation can support 
the work on these objectives. However, there is a need to continue specific support actions 
in  the  field  of  VET,  including  for  implementing  the  principles  of  groups/units/modules  of 
learning  outcomes  and  accumulation  and  transfer  of  learning  outcomes.  Greater 
involvement of social partners has to be ensured in the future governance structures both 
level 
at  national  and  at  European 
implementation need to be defined with a view to support streamlining and consolidating 
on governance level and links could possibly be created also with the implementation of the 
objectives  pursued  through  EQAVET.  Finally,  the  ACVT  Working  Group  confirmed  that  EU 
level  support  and  the  strengthening  of  mutual  learning  activities  are  important  for 
supporting Member States’ efforts to increase flexibility in VET.  

level.  Working  methods  to  support  national 

On  the  further  development  of  EQAVET,  the  ACVT  Working  Group  discussed  two  options 
both of which represent continuity and gradual improvement of the tool, the second with a 
more pronounced European dimension by introducing a peer review process. From the point 
of view of possible EU initiatives, the implication in both cases could include the revision of 
the 2009 Recommendation or its integration into a new overarching VET Recommendation. 
Regarding  the  content,  the  Working  Group  considered  the  revision  of  the  2009 
Recommendation  by  giving  more  emphasis  to  work-based  learning,  continuous  VET  and 
validation,  revising  the  descriptors  and  indicators  according  to  EQAVET+  and  ensuring  a 
strengthened  focus  on  provider  level.  Cooperation  on  the  implementation  EQAVET  could 
continue  receiving  targeted  support  under  a  rolling  work-plan  in  the  future.  Nurturing  the 
culture of quality assurance in VET by continuing mutual learning activities at various levels 
(systems, providers) in the future was welcome by all. Some participants were in favour of 
the  option  covering  a  more  ambitious  and  structured,  but  still  voluntary  approach  to 
increase  transparency  in  QA  through  collaborative  peer  reviews  at  VET  system  level.  This 
could  build  on  the  new  political  momentum  given  to  the  importance  of  mutual  trust  and 
recognition  of  qualifications  and  diplomas  as  pursued  through  the  European  Education 
Area.  The  Europass  Advisory  Group  and  EQG  Advisory  Group  were  also  consulted  on  the 
options. 

Based on the feedback, discussions continued in the ACVT. On ECVET there was a general 
agreement to the proposed way forward on the flexibility and lifelong learning objectives to 
be integrated in the overarching Council Recommendation on VET. Views on mobility were 
mixed: some preferred building on the results of ECVET in the future as a self-standing VET 
mobility  tool  while  others  were  in  favour  of  its  full  absorption  within  other  instruments, 
such  as  Europass,  while  some  reservations  about  feasibility  and  timing  were  voiced. 
Concerning EQAVET, most countries were in favour of the extension of successful European 
level activities which have taken places since the adoption of EQAVET Recommendation in 
2009 and which have helped the majority of countries to define, review and refine their QA 
systems.  The  discussion  focused  on  the  format  and  working  methods  of  this  reinforced 

50 

 
European  dimension  and  on  the  compatibility  of  a  peer  review  process  with  the  current 
toolbox approach of EQAVET.  Adequate funding is crucial for good implementation of the 
instruments.  

Based on all the above mentioned input, 3 options can be formulated: 

1.  Continuing the status quo with 2 separate Recommendations on ECVET and 
EQAVET  –  continue  the  work  on  quality  assurance  and  flexibility  in  VET  based  on 
the  existing  Recommendations  while  setting  specific  policy  objectives  through 
instruments such as declarations of EU Ministers in charge of VET (as for example 
defined in the Riga priorities adopted in 2015). 

2.  Revising the ECVET and EQAVET Recommendation and adopting a new VET 
Recommendation  –  the  work  on  quality  assurance  and  flexibility  is  continued  on 
the  basis  of  a  revised  ECVET  and  EQAVET  Recommendation  while  a  new  VET 
Recommendation lays down the policy priorities for VET systems and cooperation at 
EU level. 

3.  Repealing  the  ECVET  and  EQAVET  Recommendations  and  integrating  their 
(updated)  content  into  a  broader  VET  Recommendation  –  the  key  (updated) 
elements of ECVET and EQAVET Recommendation are integrated in an overarching 
VET  Recommendation  laying  down  the  policy  priorities  for  VET  systems  and 
cooperation at EU level. 

4.2.  Assessment  and  conclusions  of  potential  scenarios  (policy 

options) 

The first option would ensure stability but does not take into account the need for revising 
the  ECVET  and  EQAVET  Recommendations.  As  mentioned 
in  section  3.2.2,  both 
Recommendations  have  generated  a  positive  impact  but  are  also  characterised  by 
weaknesses which should be addressed. Therefore, the continuation of the status quo is not 
the optimal option. 

Regarding option 2, this would allow addressing the identified weaknesses by revising the 
both  Recommendations.  However,  this  option  fails  to  streamline  the  policy  instruments 
which is a clear request from the ACVT and maintains the fragmentation of the various VET 
instruments. 

Finally, option 3 would allow the update of the provisions of both Recommendations while 
ensuring  that  the  policy  instruments would  be  integrated  in  a  single strategic  instrument. 
This  approach  would  respond  to  the  establishment  of  a  coherent  and  overarching  policy 
framework called by the ACVT opinion. 

To sum up, option 3 provides the most suitable basis for a strategic cooperation in the field 
of  VET  to  contribute  tacking  the  multiple  challenges  Europe  is  facing:  climate  action, 
digitalisation  and  demographic  change.  This  option  provides  greater  clarity  on  the  link 
between different the instruments compared to the 2 other options and results in a more 
holistic approach to implementing the EU VET policy. At the same time, option 3 allows to 
update the provisions of the ECVET and EQAVET Recommendations which would not be the 
case for option 1.  The next section 5 explains in detail the key elements of the proposal. 

51 

 
5.  KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL 

5.1.  Preparatory work for the proposal – consultations and evidence 

This  Commission  Proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  vocational  education  and 
training  for  sustainable  competitiveness,  social  fairness  and  resilience  is  a  result  of  an 
extensive preparatory work. It is based on a thorough and targeted consultation launched in 
2017  with  a  view  to  define  the  cornerstones  of  the  future-fit  vocational  education  and 
training  in  the  context  of  emerging  trends  and  challenges  (digitalisation,  automation, 
robotics,  artificial  intelligence,  climate  change,  globalisation,  pressure  on  resources,  new 
business  models,  new  forms  of  work  organisation,  demographic  developments,  ageing, 
migration).  

The  consultation  was  organised  with  all  Member  States  and  relevant  stakeholders  which 
have issued their official position on the future VET policies - notably the Directors-General 
for  Vocational Education and Training and the Advisory Committee  on Vocational Training 
which  adopted  an  Opinion  on  the  future  of  Vocational  Education  and  Training  post  2020, 
European Social Partners (with their position papers: ETUC, SME United and BusinessEurope) 
as well as European VET providers associations. 

A survey on the challenges and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vocational education 
and training undertaken by the Commission in March-May 2020 with the following findings:  

  Several  tools  are  available  for  creating  material  for  distance  learning. However,  in 
general  VET  online  material  is  less  developed,  as  far  as  the  practical  parts  of 
training and work-based learning are concerned  

  VET learners might be at disadvantage compared to learners from other educational 
tracks,  as  more  efforts  are  put  into  general  school  subjects,  and  less  into  typical 
vocational content. 

  There is substantial disruption to the apprenticeship ‘supply chain’. Apprentices have 
largely discontinued their company attendance in the sectors whose activities have 
been  shut  down  (e.g.  restauration,  well-being,  tourism,  manufacturing).  In  some 
cases, discontinuation and termination of financial compensation, where applicable, 
increases the rate of drop-outs. 

  Little capacity for employers to focus on training either for youngsters or for  their 
employees  over  concerns  for  ensuring  business  continuity.  However,  some 
employers  and  training  providers  made  best  use  of  the  confinement  period  to 
support  the  training  of  their  employees  and  to  accelerate  deployment  of  digital 
learning systems and content. 

  While  it  is  a  significant  challenge  for  teachers  and  trainers  as  well  as  learners  to 
adapt  swiftly  to  this  dramatic  change,  many  stakeholders  have  mobilised 
themselves to help (VET providers, local governments, publishers, NGOs, companies, 
etc.) 

  There is a strong call for a European online platform (which is safe, quality assured, 
multilingual,  etc.)  that  would  offer  opportunities  for  networking  and  exchanging 
good practices and would provide digital solutions, also for work-based learning. 

A  similar  analysis  carried  out  by  CEDEFOP  also  points  to  some  challenges  for  the  VET 
sector: distance learning is piecemeal and its use very much depends on the schools’ and 
teachers’ e-skills and availability, and on the sectors concerned. Its use ranges from mere 

52 

 
communication/keeping  in  touch  with  students,  to  access  to  resources  (videos  etc.),  to 
actual teaching. The analysis also brought to light that apprentices continue their training 
and  work,  particularly  in  companies  providing  essential  services  such  as  healthcare  and 
food,  as  long  as  health  and  safety  measures  are  observed.  By  contrast,  apprentices 
discontinued their company attendance in sectors whose activities have been shut down by 
regulation, such as, in most countries, hospitality, wellbeing, tourism. This also affected in 
particular women, as they are more represented in these sectors.58 

In addition, following evidence was used to define the future VET policy: 

  Cedefop project on “Changing nature and role of vocational education and training (VET) 

in Europe” (2016-2018) – see details below; 

  a Commission Study on VET mobility in Europe (2019); 
  CEDEFOP  Opinion  Survey  on  VET  (2017)  based  on  responses  of  a  total  of  35,646 

 

citizens of the Member States; 
the  proposal  to  repeal  and  integrate  the  two  EU  VET  specific  instruments  ECVET  and 
EQAVET is based on (for more details see chapter 5.2); 

  a  dedicated  Study  on  EU  VET  instruments  (EQAVET  and  ECVET)  (2019,  taking  into 

account previous evaluation studies); 

  a working Group of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training was set up to agree 

 

on the future development of European VET instruments (1st semester 2019); 
input gathered  during the events of the  third  and the fourth editions of the European 
Vocational Skills Week (2018 and 2019) 

The Opinion of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training on future of 
vocational education and training post 2020 

The ACVT Opinion has identified a number of trends in vocational education and training: 

  VET is expected to reposition itself within the future mix of a strong foundation of basic 
skills, generic, soft, transversal and professional competences. It should prove its ability 
to prepare people not only for existing jobs, but also  – for future employment and job 
creation.  VET  is  expected  to  continue  fostering  democratic  citizenship  and  European 
values. 

  Evidence from Cedefop shows59 that with the growing weight of VET specific content in 
parallel with key competences, learning provision is expected to become more hybrid – 
in terms of blurring borders in institutional profile, target group, curricula and learning 
environment between VET and general education, between IVET, higher VET and CVET, 
between VET and higher education. 

  The  link  between  initial  and  continuous  VET  and  labour  market  is  expected  to  change 
from a one-way to two-way avenue. This means that in view  of developments on the 
labour  market  mentioned  above,  increasingly  lifelong  development  of  employees  will 
prove  to  be  a  necessity.  It  implicates  that  beyond  the  current  policy  focus  on  publicly 
financed  initial  VET,  a  broader  approach  should  encourage  providers  of  initial  VET  to 
offer  training  courses  for  adult  workers  (‘CVET’).  Therefore,  we  need  demand-driven, 

58  https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/fr/news-and-press/news/how-european-countries-manage-apprenticeships-
respond-coronavirus-crisis  
59   http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/changing-nature-and-role-vocational-

education-and-training-vet-europe  

53 

 
                                              
practice-oriented, flexible and responsive VET policies and frameworks, which can cater 
to the needs of both initial and continuing VET. 

  Emerging new technologies and work organisation formats are expected to be captured 
faster  through  skills  anticipation  systems.  Such  trends  should  be  translated  to  VET 
provision in terms of new skills, curricula and qualifications. VET systems are expected 
to  develop 
‘fast  response’  mechanisms  providing  both  quality  assured  core 
qualifications/skills pathways as well as flexible formats. Such provision should add new 
or  higher-level  skills.  These  feedback  loops  require  strong  governance  involving  social 
partners, both employers and trade unions. 

  VET  would need  to  balance  a  process-oriented, supply  driven  model with  a  result  and 
outcome-oriented  approach,  in  view  of  meeting  expectations  of  learners  in  terms  of 
adequate  skills,  of  employers  in  terms  of  skills  needs  and  productivity  gains  and  of 
society in view of a contribution to growth and social cohesion. 

  Governance in VET is expected to move towards a shared system with the participation 
of  main  stakeholders  and  implemented  at  national,  regional,  local,  institutional  and 
sector  level.  The  involvement  of  social  partners  as  well  as  stakeholders  such  as 
providers and VET learners in the development, implementation and governance of VET 
policies should be further strengthened.  

  The  way  in  which  people  are  taught  and  learn  will  continue  to  evolve  with  the 

introduction of new, technology-based, educational tools and programmes. 

  There is a need to significantly increase the links to innovation and efficiency in VET. 
  Strong  VET  systems  contribute  to  the  competitiveness,  innovation  and  growth  of  the 

European Union. 

Changing role and nature of VET  

Cedefop’s  project  on  ‘The  changing  role  and  nature  of  VET  in  Europe’60  analysed  how 
vocationally oriented education and training has changed in the European Union (as well as 
Iceland  and  Norway)  in  the  past  two  decades  (1995-2015)  and,  based  on  these  results, 
investigated the main challenges and opportunities the VET sector is facing today and may 
face in the future.  

Lessons from the past - the evolving character of European vocational education 
and training 

The changing nature and role of VET-project broadly confirms Cedefop’s (2014) definition 
of VET as ‘education and training which aims to equip people with knowledge, know-how, 
skills and/or competences required in particular occupations or more broadly on the labour 
market’.  Deliberately  avoiding  references  to  any  particular  level  or  sector,  this  definition 
draws attention the broad and expanding character of European VET: European VET today 
covers curriculum content aiming to prepare for the labour market, covering not only initial 
vocational education and training (IVET) at upper secondary levels (EQF 3 and 4) but also 
continuing  vocational  education  and  training  for  adults  (CVET)  and  vocationally  oriented 
education and training at higher levels (EQF 5-8). This understanding of VET, reflecting a de 
facto  expansion  and  diversification  of  provisions,  significantly  influences  national  and 

60 
education-and-training-vet-europe 

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/changing-nature-and-role-vocational-

54 

 
 
                                              
European VET policies. A  narrow understanding of VET as exclusively linked to school and 
work  based  IVET  would  fail  to  grasp  the  challenges  involved  in  addressing  the  needs 
lifelong learning and for labour market relevant education and training at higher levels. The 
following findings illustrate the journey travelled by European VET since 1995: 

  The  number  of  IVET  students  have  declined  in  some  countries  (notably  where  the 
proportion  traditionally  has  been  high).  This  has  been  countered  by  an  increase  in 
countries  with  traditionally  weaker  VET  systems.  Overall  the  study  points  to  a 
convergence between countries as regards participation in IVET.  

  Many national VET systems ‘came of age’ during the two decades covered by the study 
(1995-2015).  Departing  from  fragmented  systems  linked  to  a  limited  range  of 
industries  and  sectors,  the  1990s  and  early  2000s  saw  the  development  of 
comprehensive  national  systems  in  which  VET  came  to  have  clearly  defined  roles  in 
relation to general and academic education. While VET systems have long traditions in 
crafts  and  industry,  new  comprehensive  systems  have  been  better  able  to  address 
wider  needs,  such  as  those  of  the  service  sector,  and  systemic  needs,  including  for 
transparency and permeability, removing dead-ends and allowing learners to progress 
in learning.  

  The  delivery  of  VET  has  changed  and  evolved  during  these  two  decades.  VET  is  now 
delivered  by  an  increasingly  diverse  set  of  institutions  applying  a  growing  variety  of 
learning formats and settings. While countries normally tend to favour either a school-
based  or  apprenticeship-based  VET  model,  increasingly  these  main  models  are  being 
supplemented  and  complemented  by  alternative  forms  of  education,  training  and 
learning. There are clear indications that there are increasingly mixed systems offering 
different tracks within one system. 
In  almost  all  countries  there  is  a  trend  within  school-based  VET  towards  broader 
vocational  domains,  a  richer  mixture  of  theoretical  and  general  subject  matter,  and 
qualifications  providing  access  to  higher  education  at  the  expense  of  more  specific 
practical  VET.  This  trend  can  be  described  as  hybridisation  of  vocational  and  general 
education, and is partly also visible within apprenticeship tracks.  

 

  During  these  two  decades,  the  number  of  VET  qualifications  on  offer  has  steadily 
dwindled 
in  most  countries,  refocusing  VET  on  broader  occupational  areas, 
acknowledging that job-specific skills will inevitably change and that the ability of VET 
candidates to cope with this change is of essential importance. This development is also 
illustrated  by  a  blurring  of  lines  between  initial  VET  and  general  upper  secondary 
education: it is becoming increasingly difficult to say which school programmes should 
be  defined  as  VET  and  which  as  general  education.  Hybrid  or  dual  programmes  that 
combine general subjects and vocational specialisations have become more common. 
  A  notable  change  is  the  emergence  and  increased  visibility  of  what  we  term  ‘VET  at 
higher levels’, at European qualifications framework (EQF) levels 5 to 8. Many countries 
have  seen  a  significant  increase  in  VET  at  EQF  level  5  and  the  expansion  of  VET  at 
levels  6  to  8.  The  signal  sent  by  Germany  and  Austria  in  levelling  their  master 
craftsman  qualifications  at  level  6,  equivalent  to  the  university  bachelor,  illustrates  a 
redefinition  of  what  is  understood  as  higher  education  that  is  taking  place  in  some 
countries.   

  There is an increasing number of apprentices preparing for a vocational baccalauréat or 
matura  that  provides  general  access  to  higher  education;  this  is  the  case  in  Austria, 
France and Switzerland and recently also in Denmark. Both the demand for higher VET 
skills  by  in  economy  and  changing  student  choices  may  be  drivers  of  this  trend.  An 

55 

 
 
 
 
obvious  result  of  these  developments  is  longer  schooling  and  a  general  shift  of  the 
centre of gravity of VET from level 3 to level 4 or even 5 (in all countries. 

Almost 1500 VET stakeholders and experts from all over Europe were invited to comment 
on the initial findings of the study (spring 2018).  When asked about past trends, there was 
general agreement regarding the importance and significance of the ‘shift towards learning 
outcomes’,  ‘increasing  work-based  elements  in  curricula’  and  ‘growth  in  VET  provision  at 
higher  levels’.  As  regards  key  challenges  for  the  future,  ‘enhancing  responsiveness  to  the 
labour  market  needs’  was  seen  as  critical  along  with  the  need  to  increase  work-based 
elements  and  the  priority  of  strengthening  VET  at  higher  levels.  The  respondents  to  the 
survey furthermore underlined the increasingly important role of VET ‘in preparing students 
to participate fully in society and to become active citizens’. This emphasis on the need for 
a broader skills base may suggest a perception among education and training stakeholders 
that personal development and active citizenship are indispensable features of any kind of 
future learning. An alternative is that VET in Europe may assume an increasing social value 
and become a more mainstream educational pathway with much broader purposes.  

By combining these dimensions three main development paths were identified. These three 
alternative paths imply highly different policy choices in the years to come: 

1.  Lifelong learning at the heart – pluralistic VET  

This  scenario  broadens  our  understanding  and  conception  of  what  is  meant  by  VET.  The 
emphasis  is  on  vocationally  and  labour-market-oriented  learning  at  all  levels  and  in  all 
institutional settings. Vocationally oriented learning will not be restricted to the institutions 
explicitly  defined  as  VET  providers  today  but  will  form  part  of  an  integrated  lifelong 
learning approach.  

2.  Occupational and professional competences at the heart – distinctive VET 

The distinctive scenario seeks to strengthen the existing and dominant conception of VET as 
focused on entry into occupations and professions.  

3.  Job-oriented training at the heart – special purpose or marginalised VET  

This  scenario  narrows  down  the  understanding  and  conception  of  VET.  Its  focus  is  on 
training for jobs, reskilling and upskilling for short- and medium-term labour market needs.  

Reactions to the scenarios from national authorities and stakeholders 

The scenarios have been presented to a number national authorities and stakeholders in a 
series of meetings and conferences during 2019. Overall, the approach has been positively 
received, some key reactions can be noted: 

  The  scenarios  allow  for  a  discussion  of  VET  independent  of  traditional  institutional 
dividing  lines;  allowing  for  a  focus  on  VET  at  all  levels  and  the  relationship  between 
initial and continuing VET.  

  The  scenarios  point  to  important  tensions  (academic  and  vocational  drift)  and 

contradictions (a distinct VET focus versus a more pluralistic focus). 

  The  scenarios  help  to  identify  positive  opportunities  as  well  as  real  dangers. While  all 
three scenarios are seen as presenting opportunities and challenges; the third scenario 
(‘Special  Purpose’)  is  seen  by  many  as  presenting  a  too  limited  vision  of  future  VET 
approaches and systems.  

56 

 
In  this  sense,  and  linked  to  the  three  points  above,  the  scenarios  add  value  to  national 
dialogues.  So  far  social  partner  organisations,  employer  organisations  and  trade  union 
representatives,  have  expressed  particular  interest  in  making  use  of  the  scenarios.  The 
argument being that this way challenges traditional perspectives on VET and its place in the 
overall education and training landscape. A full presentation of the scenario methodology, 
as  well  as  the  publication  of  a  set  of  more  detailed  future  scenarios,  is  scheduled  for 
February 2020 and the publication of the synthesis report of the Changing nature and role 
of  VET  project.  Cedefop  will  continue  its  work  on  the  scenarios  in  the  new  (2019-2022) 
project on the ‘Future of VET’. 

5.2.  Vision and actions for modernization of VET at national level 

The  proposal  invites  Member  States  to  work  towards  implementing  a  common  vision  of 
vocational education and training. This vision is inspired by the ACVT Opinion on the future 
of  VET  post-2020  and  adapted  to  the  current  economic  and  social  context.  Its  main 
elements are:  

  equips young people and adults  with the skills to thrive in  the evolving labour  market 
and  society  and  to  manage  the  recovery,  the  just  transitions  to  the  green  and  digital 
economy in times of demographic change and throughout all economic cycles,  

  ensures  inclusiveness  and  equal  opportunities  and  contributes  to  achieving  resilience, 

social fairness and prosperity and  

  establishes European vocational education and training as a global reference point for 

skills development; 

The  proposal  further  defines  a  number  of  actions  to  be  taken  by  Member  States  to 
implement the above-mentioned vision and work towards achieving by 2025 the following 
objectives  which  are  part  of  relevant  European  monitoring  frameworks,  including  in  the 
area of education and training and social and employment policies: 

 

 

 

the share of recent employed graduates should be at least 82%61;  

60% of recent graduates from VET benefit from exposure to work-based 
learning  during their  vocational education  and training62. This objective  refers  to 
all  forms  of  work  based  learning,  and  will  thereby  contribute  to  increased 
apprenticeship opportunities which can be supported with the Youth Guarantee; 

8% of learners in VET benefit from a learning mobility abroad63  

The actions are structured in seven clusters.  

This will cover the age group 15-34, having left education and training 1-3 years ago. The indicator 

This will cover the age group 20-34 with at least upper secondary education attainment and having 

61  
left education and training 1-3 years ago. 
62  
will be based on data that will be collected as of 2021 as part of the EU LFS. 
63  
This will be measured as the share of mobile learners in a calendar year, as a proportion of a cohort 
of VET graduates in the same year. The indicator will be based on the mobility data sourced from Erasmus+ 
data  and  VET  graduate  data  sourced  from  the  UOE.  In  addition,  where  appropriate,  data  from  national 
authorities mobility programmes could also be used to complement the data from Erasmus+. 

57 

 
                                              
1. 

Vocational  education  and  training  is  agile  in  adapting  to  dynamic  labour 
market changes  

The  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  on  the  EU’s  economy,  rapid  technological 
developments,  digitalisation,  the  transition  to  a  resource-efficient,  circular  and  climate-
neutral  economy,  new  business  models  and  new  forms  of  work  organisation  accelerate 
changes  in  the  skills  required  by  the  labour  market.  Member  States  need  to  put  in  place 
appropriate  frameworks  and  measures  to  ensure  that  VET  is  resilient  and  can 
respond  swiftly  to  changing  labour  market  demands.  Better  skills  anticipation  and 
graduate tracking mechanisms are needed to respond to the changes in economic  sectors 
and occupations and to adapt accordingly the content of vocational education and training. 
A  decisive  element  is  the  speed  at  which  this  adaptation  is  taking  place.  Levels  of 
autonomy  and  funding  which  facilitate  fast  VET  providers’  responses  to  evolving  skills 
needs are needed. VET prepares people for specific occupations. At the same time, learning 
content for both young and adults needs to strike a balance between key competences and 
more occupation-specific skills.  

Work-based learning and apprenticeships, in particular, are effective approaches to 
ensure labour market relevance of VET. In times of recession, small companies might not 
be able to provide apprenticeship places. A stronger preventive approach and a reinforced 
focus of the Youth Guarantee on apprenticeships as well as appropriate support measures, 
in  a  form  of  inter-company  training  centres  or  expansion  of  digital  training  tools,  can 
ensure a stable supply of apprenticeships also during unfavourable economic conditions. 

2. 

Flexibility  and  progression  opportunities  are  at  the  core  of  vocational 
education and training  

Flexibility and opportunities to progress within education and training sectors and between 
them  are  key  elements  of  future-fit  VET  systems.  Furthermore,  ensuring  that  VET 
programmes  are  personalised  and  learner  centred,  is  essential  for  ensuring  a  strong 
engagement  of  the  learners  and  attractiveness  of  VET  pathways  leading  to  increased 
employability.  

Modularisation  –  breaking  vocational  qualifications  into  smaller  parts  of  learning 
outcomes – is the way to flexibly update the content and to customise it to the needs of 
individuals.  Validation  of  learning  outcomes  acquired  in  non-formal  and  informal  learning 
will  facilitate  up-  and  reskilling,  leading  not  only  to  full  qualifications,  but  to  micro-
credentials or partial qualifications.  

3. 

Vocational  education  and  training  is  a  driver  for  innovation  and  growth 
and  prepares  for  the  digital  and  green  transitions  and  prepares  for 
occupations in high demand 

Responsiveness  of  VET  to  structural  changes  can  be  enhanced  by  a  more  proactive 
approach of linking VET more strategically to forward-looking economic strategies, 
entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems. It is a way of not only reacting to changes 
which are already happening but co-creating economic and societal transitions – notably in 
the  current  context  of  recovery,  focus  on  strategic  industrial  ecosystems  (health, 
pharmaceuticals and others), and a resource-efficient, circular, climate-neutral and digital 
economy. This has potential to reduce the response time of adaptation of VET curricula.  

Member  States  should  continue  to  implement  VET  excellence  approaches  that  foster 
integration  of  VET  in  skills  ecosystems,  in  smart  specialisation  strategies,  National  Skills 

58 

 
Strategies,  innovation  systems,  circular  economy  strategies,  renovation  initiatives  or 
National Energy and Climate Plans. Development of VET at higher qualification levels and 
supporting  entrepreneurship  and  start-ups  are  important  elements  of  the  required 
response. This should be coupled with complementary structural policy measures that can 
help  make  business  environments  more  attractive,  foster  investment  and  diffusion  of 
innovation.  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence  connected  via  a  transnational  European 
framework  can  be  an  effective  tool  to  drive  skills  development  to  foster  transition  from 
sectors  that  are  in  decline  to  new  growing  sectors  and  to  embed  green  and  digital  skills 
(e.g.  building  on  the  EU  Digital  Competence  Framework  for  Citizens,  and  the  European  e-
Competence Framework for ICT professionals) in a vocational context.  

Greening the VET sector requires first and foremost a greening of the VET programmes, 
curricula  and  content,  but  also  managing  the  VET  institutions  with  due  attention  paid  to 
environmental  footprint.  This  requires  support  for  VET  institutions  in  adapting  their 
programmes, but also infrastructure and technology in line with sustainability requirements, 
contributing  thus  also  to  the  implementation  of  the  Sustainable  Development  Goals,  for 
example by helping to provide the skills needed for the Renovation Wave. Furthermore, as 
also illustrated by the COVID crisis, VET institutions need to embrace digitalisation and to 
have  a  clear  digital  strategy  that  addresses  multiple  dimensions:  provision  of  digital 
learning content, pedagogical approaches in digital learning, but also better use of data for 
following learners progression, developing tailored approaches and skills forecasting. 

4. 

Vocational education and training is attractive and based on modern  and 
digitalised provision of training/skills 

VET  still  faces  a  challenge  of  low  attractiveness  for  learners  and  companies  in  most 
Member  States.  This  means  that  more  efforts  are  needed  in  increasing  attractiveness 
of VET by innovating and modernising VET, notably in terms of new learning environments, 
tools and pedagogies, with a special focus on digitalisation. ICT based simulator, virtual and 
augmented  reality  tools  have  the  potential  to  significant  modernise  and  innovate  VET 
provision,  increase  its  efficiency  and  accessibility  compared  to  expensive  physical 
equipment.  This  can  be  particular  beneficial  for  small  companies  and  apprenticeships 
organised in small and medium-sized companies.  

New  types  of  skills  can  be  acquired  through  collaborative  teaching,  inter-disciplinary  and 
project-based  learning.  Another  aspect  of  attractiveness  is  permeability:  education  and 
training  systems  should  enable  vertical  and  horizontal  pathways  between  VET,  general 
school education, higher education and adult education. Higher VET programmes should be 
further  expanded  to  support  increased  needs  for  advanced  vocational  skills.  High  quality 
guidance services have potential to increase attractiveness of VET as well. 

Internationalisation,  transnational  mobility,  including  virtual  skills  competitions64, 
strong  links  with  the  other  education  and  training  sectors,  research  and  labour  market 
actors are key to innovate how VET is designed and delivered.  

64 
Skills competitions raise the profile and recognition of skilled people, and show how important skills 
are in achieving economic growth and personal success. They establish high standards for skills excellence in 
various professions, and measure the attainment of those standards through the competitions. They inspire 
young competitors to reach new heights, helping them turn their passion into a profession 

59 

 
 
                                              
Increased quality of VET will only be possible with well-trained and motivated teachers 
and trainers. Staff in VET needs to be supported in developing skills and providing tools to 
master  new  technologies, to work in  multicultural environments and understand changing 
labour market needs. Motivation, career progression and well-being of teachers and trainers 
in VET are key to increase attractiveness of their profession. The so called hybrid teachers – 
a type of personnel who is part-time working in a company and part-time as a teacher in a 
vocational school - have a potential to contribute to a stronger cooperation arrangements 
between  VET  schools  and  companies  in  a  more  structured  and  frequent  manner.    Hybrid 
teachers can bring the necessary innovation to school-based environment and can address 
the growing shortage  and ageing population of vocational teachers. The  concept provides 
interesting  career  perspectives  for  individuals  and  provides  benefits  to  both  schools  and 
companies, among others by sharing the salary costs.  

5. 

Vocational education and training promotes equality of opportunities 

Good quality VET also contributes to the inclusion of vulnerable groups. This means that 
broad  accessibility  needs  to  be  ensured  and  any  remaining  barriers  to  participation, 
including  for  people  with  disabilities,  low-skilled  adults,  ethnic  and  racial  minorities, 
including  Roma  and  people  with  a  migrant  background  be  removed.  This  can  also  help 
address  the  equity  concerns  in  access  to  digital  learning  tools,  internet  connection  and 
necessary  IT  devices,  raised  during  the  COVID-19  crisis.  Targeted  measures  and  flexible 
formats of training can prevent early leaving from VET and provide opportunities for drop-
outs to re-enter VET.  

There  is  also  a  need  to  address  gender  bias  by  promoting  balance  between  traditional 
‘male’  and  ‘female’  professions,  including  by  encouraging  participation  of  women  in 
vocational  training  for  what  are  usually  traditional  ‘male’  professions  and  of  men  in 
‘female’ professions. 

6. 

7. 

Vocational  education  and  training  is  underpinned  by  a  culture  of  quality 
assurance (explained below) 

Implementation at national level 

Sustainable  partnerships  between  all  relevant  stakeholders  and  including  public  private 
partnerships, is key to achieve effective governance in VET. Member States are invited 
to make best use of existing European tools, such as Europass, the European Qualification 
Framework (EQF) or ESCO (the multilingual classification of European Skills, Competences, 
Qualifications and Occupations) and maximise synergies among them also with a view to 
promote automatic mutual recognition of vocational education and training qualifications/ 
diplomas  and  the  outcomes  of  learning  periods  abroad.  European  Union  funds  and 
instruments  continue  to  focus  on  skills  and  provide  opportunities  to  finance  reforms  of 
vocational  education  training.  For  more  effective  and  efficient  implementation  of  the 
Recommendation, it is proposed that responsible national authorities define measures to be 
taken for the implementation of this Recommendation at national level within one year of 
its  adoption  by  building  on  relevant  existing  national  arrangements  and  existing  financial 
frameworks and follow through their implementation. 

60 

 
 
 
 
5.3.  Integration of ECVET and EQAVET – future of the tools 

EQAVET 

As  mentioned  in  section  3.2.2,  the  EQAVET  Recommendation  has  contributed  to  the 
improvement of quality  assurance arrangements in  many Member  States. However, there 
were  some  weaknesses  identified  linked  to  the  absence  of  specific  topics  in  the  EQAVET 
Framework  as  well  as  to  EQAVET’s  contribution  to  increasing  transparency  of  quality 
assurance arrangements and trust building 

Although  the  EQAVET  Framework  as  defined  by  the  EQAVET Recommendation  of  2009  is 
quite comprehensive and does cover a large number of topics, some topics such as learning 
outcomes, work based learning are not well or not explicitly addressed. As mentioned above 
in section 3.2., the EQAVET Network has developed in 2016 an additional set of indicative 
descriptors  called  EQAVET+  in  order  to  address  this  situation.  These  EQAVET+  descriptors 
provide additional details regarding learning outcomes, involvement of social partners and 
other relevant stakeholders, etc. Annex 2 of the proposal for a Council Recommendation on 
vocational  education  and  training  for  sustainable  competitiveness,  social  fairness  and 
resilience therefore reflects these new elements.   

Furthermore,  an  additional  descriptor  on  the  importance  of  creating  flexible  pathways  is 
included in the proposed updated EQAVET Framework reflecting the increased importance 
for  VET  providers  to  be  able  to  respond  rapidly  to  changing  labour  market  needs  and  to 
accommodate  to  the  needs  of  the  learners.  In  addition,  the  introductory  section  of  the 
updated  EQAVET  Framework  in  annex  2  underlines  that  the  EQAVET  Framework  is 
applicable to all types of learning environments  such as school based provision and work 
based learning including apprenticeships schemes. 

Regarding the transparency of quality assurance arrangements, it is important to recall that 
the EQAVET Recommendation mentions explicitly the objective to increase the transparency 
of VET policy developments between Member States. Transparency of quality assurance is 
one  of  the  key  elements  for  mutual  trust  and  recognition  of  skills  and  qualifications  of 
mobile  persons.  Therefore,  increased  transparency  of  quality  assurance  arrangements  in 
VET  can  contribute  to  reinforced  trust  in  qualifications  as  well  as  facilitate  mobility  of 
learners  and  workers  between  Member  States.  However,  the  2013  external  evaluation 
found that there is little evidence that EQAVET supports transparency of quality assurance 
arrangements  across  Europe65.  This  finding  was  confirmed  in  the  EU  study  on  EU  VET 
instruments stating that EQAVET did not contribute significantly to improving transparency 
of quality assurance arrangements. Linked to this, the last mentioned study also underlined 
that  there  was  widespread  consensus  that  the  high  level  of  countries’  buy-in  to  EQAVET 
was attributed to some extent to the ‘toolbox’ approach for implementation. Stakeholders 
could use the EQAVET provisions that had most value to their national situation. While this 
was potentially necessary to gain traction, it has however resulted in significant variations 
and less transparency of quality assurance arrangements which were not intended. 

In  order  to  address  the  challenge  of  improving  the  transparency  of  quality  assurance 
arrangements,  it  is  proposed  to  organise  EU  peer  reviews  at  VET  system  level  in 
cooperation  with  the  members  of  the  group  of  Director-General  for  Vocational  Education 

65 External evaluation of the implementation of EQAVET, p. 69, 2013 

61 

 
                                              
(DGVT).  These  peer  reviews  would  analyse  how  quality  assurance  arrangements  at  VET 
system are organised and with the purpose to make suggestions to further improve quality 
assurance measures where relevant. The organisation of such peer  reviews would require 
the development of a specific methodology tailored to the needs of EQAVET and could be 
developed by the EQAVET Network. The proposed cooperation with the DGVT would allow a 
stronger involvement of senior staff in the Ministries in charge of VET and contribute to an 
increased  transparency  of  how  quality  assurance  arrangements  are  organised  in  the 
different Member States. 

Taking into  account the results  of the different evaluation studies  as outlined above, this 
proposal will therefore: 

  Repeal the 2009 EQAVET Recommendation and integrate the work on quality assurance 

 

in VET in the EU into the present proposal. 
Integrate the EQAVET+ initiative adding elements about learning outcomes, certification 
and assessment, stakeholders’ consultation, the role of teachers and trainers.  

  Add an additional indicative descriptor on flexibility of VET learning pathways given the 
increased  need  to  develop  flexible  VET  provision  and  on  the  need  to  contribute  to 
environmental sustainability. 
Include the aspect of the digital readiness of VET systems and institutions.  

 
  Define new working method through peer reviews of quality assurance at VET system 
level  in  order  to  improve  mutual  learning,  enhance  transparency  of  quality  assurance 
arrangements of VET provision and reinforce mutual trust between Member States. 

  Maintain the mission and functions of EQAVET national reference points (NRPs).  

ECVET 

The objective of the ECVET Recommendation was to improve the recognition, accumulation 
and transfer of learning outcomes, supporting mobility and lifelong learning as well as the 
establishment of a EU credit system in VET. This initiative was further developed following 
the  2002  Copenhagen  Declaration  on  the  future  priorities  for  enhancing  European 
cooperation  in  VET,  which  stated  a  need  for  a  system  supporting  ’the  transparency, 
comparability, transferability and recognition of competence and/or qualifications, between 
different countries and at different levels’.  

According  to  the  abovementioned  study  on  EU  VET  instruments,  ECVET  has  widely 
contributed to the development of a better-quality mobility experience through the use and 
documentation  of  units  of  learning  outcomes.  Since  2009,  six  more  countries  have 
introduced  modules  or  units  in  IVET  (bringing  the  total  to  21).  Credit  systems  have  been 
introduced in an additional nine countries over the same period bringing the total to 17. On 
the other hand, the concept of ECVET points was generally not applied and ECVET did not 
lead to the development of EU credit system in VET. 

Based  on  the  feedback  received  during  the  stakeholder  consultation  and  the  experience 
gained  with  the  ECVET  implementation  over  the  last  10  years,  the  present  proposal 
incorporates  and  reinforces  some  elements  of  the  2009  ECVET  Recommendation  and 
abandons  others  that  do  not  bring  an  added  value  or  respond  to  a  real  need  in  the  VET 
systems. In particular,  

  The  principle  that  qualifications  are  made  of  units  of  learning  outcomes  is  integrated 
and  reinforced  in  the  proposal  (modularisation).  This  is  seen  as  a  pre-requisite  to 

62 

 
 
increase flexibility of the VET programmes and facilitate validation as means to boost 
the  take-up  of  up-  and  reskilling.  It  is  also  instrumental  in  facilitating  mobility  of  VET 
learners  and  the  recognition  of  learning  outcomes  achieved  during  such  mobility 
periods.  Furthermore,  it  can  also  support  the  automatic  mutual  recognition  of  VET 
qualifications  and  cooperation  at  sectoral  level.  To  this  end,  a  concept  of  European 
Vocational  Core  Profiles  will  be  explored  with  the  aim  to  define  a  certain  share  of  a 
common  training  content  at  European  level.  The  profiles  have  the  potential  to 
significantly  facilitate  mobility  of  learners  and  workers,  automatic  recognition  of 
vocational qualifications, and the development of joint VET qualifications and curricula. 
  The mobility tools developed under the 2009 Recommendation (e.g. learning agreement 
and memorandum of understanding) related to supporting geographical mobility of VET 
learners  will  be  further  developed  in  the  framework  of  other  EU  instruments  such  as 
those supported by the Erasmus+ programme and linked to the further development of 
Europass. 

  The credit points introduced by the 2009 Recommendation will be discontinued, due to 
the very low take-up and no evidence of added value. In practice, ECTS (European Credit 
Transfer and Accumulation System) applied widely in higher education is used also for 
post-secondary and tertiary VET. 

The 2009 ECVET Recommendation will be repealed and the ECVET provisions and principles 
as  outlined  above  will  be  taken  forward  on  the  basis  of  the  present  proposal  and 
mainstreamed into other EU policy instruments. 

5.4.  EU support initiatives  

The following chapter provides more details on support actions proposed in the Commission 
Proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  vocational  education  and  training  for 
sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. 

5.4.1.  Platforms of Centres of Vocational Excellence 

This subchapter provides an overview of the main features of the initiative of  Platforms 
of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE).  

What is Vocational Excellence? 

Platforms  of  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence  are  intended  to  be  world-class  reference 
points  for  training  for  both  initial  training  of  young  people  as  well  as  for  continuing  up-
skilling and re-skilling of adults. They operate in a given local context, closely embedded in 
the  innovation  ecosystems,  while  working  with  centres  in  other  countries  through 
international collaborative platforms. 

CoVEs  act  as  catalysts  for  local  business  investment,  supporting  European  and  regional 
innovation and smart specialisation strategies, development of VET at higher qualification 
levels  and  provide  innovative  services  such  as  business  incubators  for  start-ups  and 
technology  innovation hubs. They ensure high quality skills and competences that lead  to 
quality employment and career-long opportunities, which meet the needs of an innovative, 
inclusive and sustainable economy. 

63 

 
 
A  mapping  study  has  been  conducted  to  provide  concrete  examples  of  the  main 
characteristics of CoVEs, with a view to informing the concept and the development of EU 
support plans.66  

The  concept  of  vocational  excellence  that  is  proposed  is  characterised  by  a  holistic 
learner centred approach in which VET:  

i. 

ii. 

Is  an  integrative  part  of  skills  ecosystems,  contributing  to  regional  development67, 
innovation68, and smart specialisation strategies69 

Is  part  of  knowledge  triangles,  working  closely  with  other  education  and  training 
sectors, the scientific community, and business 

iii.  Enables  learners  to  acquire  both  vocational  and  key  competences70  through  high-
quality provision that is underpinned by quality assurance, builds innovative forms of 
partnerships  with  the  world  of  work,  and  is  supported  by  the  continuous  professional 
development  of  teaching  and  training  staff,  innovative  pedagogies,  mobility  and 
internationalisation strategies. 

Context 

The combined effects of rapid technological change, digitalization, climate change, circular 
economy,  and  new  forms  of  work,  call  for  innovative  ideas  to  ensure  that  Vocational 
training not only adapts to change, but is also at the forefront of mastering and driving this 
change. These developments are not only disrupting every aspect of work and life, but also 
creating  opportunities  for  innovation  71and  employment  creation  across  all  sectors.  The 
capacity  to  innovate  is  increasingly  becoming  the  key  factor  driving  economic  and  social 
development.  

VET policy makers are confronted with new challenges in anticipating and responding in due 
time  to  the  fast  changing  skill  needs  of  the  labour  market,  and  to  the  expectations  of 
individuals.  The  "shelf-life"  of  skills  is  becoming  increasingly  short.  To  address  this 
challenge, VET institutions must become much more flexible and responsive to the need for 
renewing  their  offer,  companies  have  to  become  an  active  partner  in  designing  and 
providing  opportunities  for  work-based  learning,  and  individuals  have  to  embrace  lifelong 

66   https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=738&langId=en&pubId=8250&furtherPubs=yes  
67   Regional  Development  Policy  -  Regional  development  is  a  broad  term  but  can  be  seen  as  a  general 
effort  to  reduce  regional  disparities  by  supporting  (employment  and  wealth-generating)  economic 
activities in regions. See http://www.oecd.org/cfe/regional-policy/regionaldevelopment.htm  

68   An  innovation  is  the  implementation  of  a  new  or  significantly  improved  product  (good  or  service),  or 
process,  a  new  marketing  method,  or  a  new  organisational  method  in  business  practices,  workplace 
organisation or external relations. See https://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=6865  

69   Smart Specialisation is a place-based approach characterised by the identification of strategic areas for 
intervention  based  both  on  the  analysis  of  the  strengths  and  potential  of  the  economy  and  on  an 
Entrepreneurial Discovery Process with wide stakeholder involvement. It is outward-looking and embraces 
a broad view of innovation including but certainly not limited to technology-driven approaches, supported 
by effective monitoring mechanisms. See http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/what-is-smart-specialisation-  
70   As defined  in  the  Council  Recommendation  of  22  May  2018  on  key  competences  for  lifelong  learning. 

See https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018H0604(01)&from=EN  

71   In  particular  of  Practice-based  innovation  (Doing,  using,  interacting  -DUI)  as  described  by  Vesa 

Harmaakorpi (see Ch 41). 

64 

 
 
                                              
learning  to maintain  their  employability, active citizenship  and quality of life. The way  we 
teach and learn has to be in tune with these new opportunities and challenges. 

Developments  in  the  VET  system  have  been  mainly  of  a  gradual  and  incremental  nature, 
and in most cases driven top-down. Business-as-usual may not be a viable option for the 
future.  The  speed  and  scale  of  change  calls  for  innovative  approaches  where  VET 
institutions are empowered to understand, engage and be an active partner in co-creating 
solutions  for  local  social  and  economic  development.  A  bottom-up  approach  where  VET 
institutions  are  capable  of  rapidly  adapting  skills  provision  to  evolving  local  needs,  is 
essential  to  raise  the  attractiveness,  relevance  and  quality  in  VET.  The  new  paradigm  for 
VET  institutions  is  local  in  its  nature,  while  the  challenges  they  are  facing  is  increasingly 
complex and global.  

The call for action 

The  policy  drive  for  Vocational  excellence  is  not  new.  An  initiative  to  promote  Vocational 
excellence has been called for since 2004 when the parties to the Copenhagen process, i.e. 
the Member States, the social partners, the candidate countries, the EFTA countries and the 
Commission, set the overall priorities for the EU VET modernisation agenda in the following 
Communiqués. 

This was then followed up by 2012 Communication on Rethinking Education, proposing that 
excellence  be  pursued  by  aligning  VET  policies  with  regional/local  economic  development 
strategies namely for smart specialisation. Together with the 2012 Communication, a Staff 
Working Document gave further details on how the concept of Vocational excellence could 
be developed and achieved.  

The recent 2017 Communication on "Strengthening Innovation in Europe's Regions" makes 
a specific reference to "linking vocational education and training to innovation systems", as 
part of smart specialisation strategies at regional level.  

In the 2018 Communication on Building a stronger Europe: the role of youth, education and 
culture  policies,  the  Commission  announced  an  initiative  to  "support  the  development  of 
trans-national  platforms  of  centres  of  vocational  excellence”.  The  Centres  of  vocational 
excellence  should  promote  an  active  role  for  VET  in  local  and  regional  economic 
development.  

On 3 December 2018, the ACVT adopted an “Opinion on the future of VET” that also puts a 
focus  on  the  promotion  of  VET  Excellence  and  inclusion,  and  calls  on  the  Commission  to 
provide support for the establishment of Platforms of Centres of Vocational Excellence. 

The  Industry  2030  High  Level  Industrial  Roundtable  report  “A  vision  for  the  European 
Industry  until  2030”  called  for  setting  up  of  Acceleration  Centres  which  would  stimulate 
industrial  transformation  by  synergistic  bundling  in  one  geographic  location  of  various 
institutions, including Platforms of Centres of Vocational Excellence. 

The initiative on platforms of "Centres of Vocational Excellence" 

When discussing innovation, reference is often made to the "knowledge triangle" – a link 
between businesses, education and research. In this context, education is often understood 
as  academic  higher  education,  with  VET  playing  a  marginal  role,  and  quite  often  being 
neglected. However, VET has an important role to play in the “knowledge triangle”, as well 

65 

 
 
as  in  "smart  specialisation"  strategies  that  lead  to  sustainable  growth,  innovation,  job 
creation and social cohesion.  

Some  Member  States  have 
initiatives  aiming  at  Vocational 
excellence72, and include VET as part of their innovation strategies. However, these are still 
rare exceptions, and progress has been uneven throughout Europe.  

launched  successful 

This initiative responds to this challenge, and introduces a "European dimension" aimed at 
fostering  “upward  convergence"  of  excellence  by  supporting  the  development  of  Centres 
of Vocational Excellence, operating at two levels: 

1.  National: in a given local context, embedding Centres of Vocational Excellence 
closely  in  the  local  innovation  ecosystems  and  acting  as  technology  diffusion 
centres  for  SMEs  including  digital  learning  tools  (ICT  based  simulators,  virtual  and 
augmented reality), and connecting them at European level. 

2.  International:  through  Platforms  of  Centres  of  Vocational  Excellence  to 
establish  world-class  reference  points  for  vocational  training  by  bringing  together 
CoVE`s  that  share  a  common  interest  in  specific  sectors73/  trades  (e.g. 
aeronautics,  e-mobility,  green  technologies,  ICT,  healthcare,  etc.)  or  innovative 
approaches to tackle societal challenges (e.g. Climate change, Digitalisation, Artificial 
Intelligence,  Sustainable  Development  Goals,  integration  of  migrants,  upskilling 
people with low qualification levels, etc.)74. 

The  platforms  will  either  bring  together  existing  CoVE's  in  different  countries,  or  expand 
the model by linking well-established CoVE's in one country with partners in other countries, 
that intend to develop CoVE's in their local eco-system.  

The platforms will be open for the involvement of countries with well-developed vocational 
excellence  systems,  as  well  as  those  in  the  process  of  developing  similar  approaches, 
aimed at exploring the full potential of VET institutions to play a proactive role in support of 
growth, competitiveness and innovation. 

Platforms  of  Centres  of  Vocational  excellence  are  not  intended  to  build  new  VET 
institutions and infrastructure from scratch (although it may also require this type of 
investment).  Instead  they  aim  to  bring  together  a  set  of  local/regional  partners  such  as 
initial and continuing VET providers, tertiary education institutions including universities of 
applied  sciences  and  polytechnics,  research  institutions,  science  parks,  companies, 
chambers and their associations, social partners, sectoral skills councils, professional/sector 
associations,  national  and  regional  authorities  and  development  agencies,  public 
employment services, etc.  

72  See  for  example  Katapult  in  the  Netherlands  https://www.wijzijnkatapult.nl/english/,  and  Tknika  in  Spain 
https://tknika.eus/en/  
73   For example those identified as being part of the “key strategic value chains”, within the discussion of the 

Strategic Forum for Important projects of common European interest (IPCEI) 

74   The  smart  specialisation  platforms  (S3)  also  have  thematic  Platforms  for  Industrial  Modernisation,  in 
sectors  such  as  Agri-food,  Energy  and  Blue  Growth,  which  include  transnational  partnerships  in  specific 
priorities within these areas that are shared by regions (see http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/s3-thematic-
platforms)  

66 

 
 
 
                                              
The essential features of Centres of Vocational Excellence 

CoVE's are characterised by adopting a systemic approach through which VET institutions 
actively contribute to co-create "skills ecosystems", together with a wide range of other 
local/regional  partners.  CoVE´s  are  expected  to  go  far  beyond  the  simple  provision  of  a 
quality vocational qualification.  

Below, we present a non-exhaustive (and non-compulsory) list of typical activities and 
services provided by CoVE’s grouped under three clusters: 

Cluster 1 - Teaching and learning 

  Providing  people  with  labour  market  relevant  skills,  in  a  lifelong  learning  continuum 
approach.  Combining  offers  of  initial  VET  qualifications,  with  offers  of  continuing 
training (for upskilling and reskilling), that are informed by skills anticipation.  

  Providing guidance services, as well as validation of prior learning. 

  Developing 

innovative  curricula  that  focus  both  on  technical  skills  and  key 
competences75, while making use of European competence  frameworks and tools (e.g. 
EntreComp, DigComp, DigCompOrg, SELFIE). 

  Developing  innovative  learner-centred  teaching  and  learning  methodologies,  including 
interdisciplinary,  project-based,  competence-based  learning,  and  makerspaces76,  while 
fully exploiting digital technologies (e.g. MOOC's, simulators, virtual reality, etc.).  

  Fostering  learner  excellence77  through  actions  that  incentive  VET  learners  to  explore 
their  innovation  and  creative  potential,  leading  to  a  virtuous  cycle  of  benefits  for  the 
learners,  the  teachers  and  the  VET  institution  that  can  integrate  best  practices  into 
regular programmes. 

  Developing modular and learner-centred trans-national VET learning provision (curricula 
and/or qualifications) thus facilitating the mobility of learners and staff, as well as the 
recognition at regional and/or national levels. 

  Providing  higher  level  VET  programmes  and  developing  flexible  pathways  and 

cooperation mechanisms between VET and higher education institutions. 

 

Investing  in  the  initial  and  continuing  professional  development  of  teachers  and 
trainers,  for  both  pedagogical  as  well  as  technical  skills,  as  well  as  for  the 
implementation of a quality culture based on defined management systems.  

  Establishing  strong  quality  assurance  mechanisms  aligned  with  European  tools  and 
instruments, which may also include working towards the certification of education and 
training  providers  based  on  standards  developed  by  relevant  national  and/or 
international standards organisations - e.g. ISO 21001 or EFQM. 

  Establishing  effective  feedback  loops  and  graduate  tracking  systems  that  enable  the 

timely adaptation of learning provision to evolving labour market needs.  

75   As defined in the Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning. 
76   Makerspaces are collaborative workspaces for making, learning, exploring and sharing (see JRC report) 
77   See example of the Dutch MBO Excellence initiative www.rocmn.nl/up 

67 

 
                                              
Cluster 2 - Cooperation and partnerships 

  Contributing to creation and dissemination of new knowledge in partnership with other 
stakeholders, e.g. through joint R&D with universities, R&D units in companies, research 
bodies, etc. 

  Establishing business-education partnerships for apprenticeships, internships, sharing of 
equipment, exchanges of staff and teachers between companies and VET centres, etc. 

  Providing SMEs with technical support, needs assessment, tools and methodologies, as 
well as tailor-made training to support their offers for apprenticeship and up-skilling/re-
skilling. 

  Working  together  with  local  SME's  through  innovation  hubs,  technology  diffusion 
centres,  and  applied  research78  projects  with  the  involvement  of  VET  learners  and 
staff. 

  Providing  or  supporting  business  incubators  for  VET  learners  to  develop  their 

entrepreneurship skills and initiatives. 

  Developing  internationalisation  strategies  to  foster  trans-national  mobility  of  VET 
learners, teachers and trainers, as well as leaders. This could also include preparatory 
work  to  facilitate  mobility  such  as  teaching  programmes  or  courses  on  EU  studies  to 
improve  understanding  of  Europe's  integration  process  and  its  place  in  a  globalised 
world (e.g. inspired on the Jean Monnet actions). 

  Launching  and  actively  participating  in  campaigns  and  activities  aimed  at  raising  the 
attractiveness of VET and awareness to the life and job opportunities provided by VET 
qualifications. These initiatives could attract more people (including learners in primary 
and  secondary  schools)  to  specific  professions,  and  contribute  to  the  European 
Vocational Skills Week. 

  Participating  in  national  and  international  skills  competitions,  aimed  at  raising  the 

attractiveness and excellence in VET. 

  Developing  "International  VET  campus/academies"  for  learners  in  primary,  secondary, 
and VET schools, teachers and trainers, Leaders in VET institutions, as well as for people 
considering  future  vocational  study  options.  These  could  be  focused  on  specific 
occupational fields, products or services. 

Cluster 3 - Governance and funding 

  Ensuring effective governance at all levels involving relevant stakeholders, particularly 
companies,  chambers,  professional  and  sector  associations,  national  and  regional 
authorities and social partners.  

to 

innovate  and 

78   See  Canadian  Colleges  and  institutes  example  that  make  use  of  applied  research  to  strengthen  their 
connections 
and  
guide. 

capacity 
https://www.collegesinstitutes.ca/policyfocus/applied-research/, 
Doing 
https://www.vta.vic.edu.au/docman-sortable-list/952-doing-applied-research-in-tafes-an-introductory-
guide-2/file 

industry  and 

introductory 

community 

Institutes: 

Research 

Victorian 

leverage 

Applied 

strong 

TAFE 

their 

An 

in 

68 

 
                                              
  Actively  engaging  in  the  overall  national  Skills  governance  systems  and  linking  with 

employment and social policies at local, regional, national and European level. 

 

Integrating  into  economic  and  innovation  strategies  and  systems  at  local,  regional, 
national and European levels to proactively co-shape innovation and growth. 

  Developing  sustainable  financial  models  that  combine  public  and  private  funding,  as 

well as income generating activities.  

  Supporting the attraction of foreign investment projects by ensuring timely provision of 

skills for companies investing locally 

  Making full use of national and EU financial instruments and Funds. These can include 
the  support  of  education  and  training  actions,  mobility  of  learners  and  staff,  applied 
research activities, infrastructure investments to modernise VET centres with advanced 
equipment,  implementation  of  management  systems  to  assure  excellence  and 
sustainability of VET organizations and the services they provide, etc.  

Future roll-out of the Platforms of Centres of Vocational Excellence according to 
Commission proposal 

The  Commission  has  proposed  that  the  future  Erasmus  programme  funds  the  activities 
related  to  the  transnational  cooperation  of  these  centres,  notably  related  to  the 
establishment  of  the  transnational  platforms,  initial  operation,  and  capacity  building.  The 
precise  modalities  of  funding  and  design  of  the  action  are  still  to  be  defined,  within  the 
context of preparing the ground for the implementation of the future Erasmus Regulation. 
The platforms should aim to be self-sustainable in the medium-term. 

Pilot  actions  to  prepare  the  initiative  are  being  supported  by  the  current  Erasmus+ 
programme: 

 

 

In  the  2019  Erasmus+  call,  the  Commission  launched  a  call  for  pilot  projects  under 
Sector  Skills  Alliances  with  a  budget  of  €5  million  to  support  a  first  set  of  up  to  5 
projects running for 2 years.  

In  the  2020  Erasmus+  call,  the  Commission  published  a  specific  call  to  establish 
Platforms of CoVE´s with a budget of €20 million to support 5 fully-fledged Platforms 
running for 4 years, that closely resemble the future model that will be supported in the 
Erasmus programme in the period 2021-2027.  

5.4.2.   Support services for VET 

The  Commission  proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  vocational  education  and 
training  for  sustainable  competitiveness,  social  fairness  and  resilience  proposes  that  the 
support of the European Commission to Member States with a view to the implementation 
of  this  Recommendation  will  be  organised  through  support  services  based  on  demands 
from all relevant stakeholders. 

The  services  will  built  on  existing  support  activities  related  to  the  implementation  of  the 
Recommendations  on  EQAVET,  ECVET  and  European  framework  for  quality  and  effective 
apprenticeships – notably its Apprenticeships Support Services. 

The  support  of  the  European  Commission  to  Member  States  with  a  view  to  the 
implementation  of  this  Recommendation  could  be  gradually  deployed  through  reinforcing 
support  for  structural  reforms  on  apprenticeships  through  the  apprenticeship  support 

69 

 
service79  and  a  new  boost  to  European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships  in  synergy  with  the 
Youth  Guarantee  as  well  as  expanding  support  services  for  vocational  education  and 
training  together  with  Cedefop.  The  activities  could  cover  a  range  of  services,  including 
mutual  learning,  expert  advice,  bench-learning,  analytical  work  and  capacity  building  for 
implementing this Recommendation. 

The  services  will  be  based  on  rolling  work  programme  to  be  defined  together  with  the 
Advisory  Committee  on  Vocational  Training  in  cooperation  with  learners’  representatives 
and providers of vocational education and training. 

5.4.3.  EQAVET Peer Reviews 

With the view to strengthen the European dimension of increased transparency and ‘trust-
building’  the  proposal  proposes  to 
introduce  peer  reviews  on  quality  assurance 
arrangements  in  VET.  The  focus  on  the  European  dimension  is  a  logical  extension  of 
the  adoption  of  EQAVET 
successful  activities  which  have 
Recommendation  in  2009  and  which  have  helped  the  majority  of  countries  to  define, 
review and refine their quality assurance systems. The format and working methods of this 
reinforced  European  dimension,  aimed  at  strengthening  transparency  and  trust  building, 
through a peer review exercise needs to be further discussed with all relevant stakeholders.  

taken  places  since 

It  is  intended  to  make  use  of  the  new  Erasmus  Programme  and  possibly  integrate  the 
exercise in the future integrated VET support service as explained above. 

The  following  box  presents  a  possible  approach  to  build  the  concept  of  peer  reviews  on 
quality assurance in VET. 

Box 6 - Peer reviews on quality assurance in VET 

A peer review is a type of mutual learning activity. It is hosted by a country to present and 
discuss  in  depth  the  specific  policy  responses  and  arrangements  in  place  to  achieve  the 
objectives  of  the  policy  area.  Both  representatives  of  Member  States  and  independent 
experts can participate. The peer review was introduced as an ET2020 tool following the 
2012  Joint  Report  and  it  is  used  on  a  regular  basis  in  the  meetings  of  the  Directors 
General for VET. 

In  the  context  of  the  proposed  options  for  EQAVET,  a  peer  review  is  a  type  of  mutual 
learning activity focused on the quality assurance arrangements at VET system level. The 
objectives  of  these  peer  reviews  are  to  support  the  improvement  QA  at  Member  State 
level,  enhance  the  transparency  of  QA  arrangements  and  reinforce  trust  between  the 
Member States. 

Therefore,  peer  review  is  not  to  be  confused  with  accreditation  or  certification.  In  the 
framework  of  the  EQAVET  implementation,  EU  peer  reviews  at  VET  provider  level  are 
already frequently carried out in EU funded projects. A specific methodology for a EU peer 

79  As  the  key  follow-up  action  to  the  Council  Recommendation  on  a  European  Framework  for  Quality  and 
Effective  Apprenticeships  the  Commission  launched  an  Apprenticeship  Support  Services  in  November  2018. 
The aim is to support members of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships to work towards more and better 
apprenticeships through  a  knowledge  and a  networking  hub.  It  also  includes bench-learning, a  methodology 
combining  benchmarking  with  peer  learning,  and  which  provides  a  structured  process  to  mutual  learning 
among Member States on improving their apprenticeship systems. 

70 

 
                                              
reviews at VET provider level has been developed in the framework of Leonardo Da Vinci 
project in 2007 and this methodology is still used in more recent projects (for example in 
the projects selected in the framework of the 2017 restricted call for proposals of EQAVET 
NRPs). 

The key principles of EU peer reviews at VET system level would need to be determined in 
cooperation  with  the  participating  Member  States  and  could  consist  of  the  following 
features: 

- 

- 

- 

The focus is on supporting countries to improve their QA and creating transparency 
of QA arrangements in Member States; 

The target group is those officials who have responsibilities  for  QA of  VET at the 
system level; 

The peer review is not a technical and/or bureaucratic procedure but a dynamic and 
motivating discussion process that engages policy makers at national/system level 
and increases cooperation at EU level; 

-  A specific methodology to carry out EU peer reviews at VET system level needs to 
be defined in cooperation with Member State representatives and social partners. 

5.4.4.  European Vocational Core Profiles 

European  VET  systems  have  the  potential  to  establish  themselves  as  a  global  reference 
point for skills development. There are a number of actions to be taken at European level 
which  can  promote  European  leadership  in  a  global  training  market,  such  as  support  to 
internationalisation  of  vocational  education  and  training  systems,  promotion  of  skills 
competitions or organisation of communication campaigns to raise the attractiveness and 
image of VET. 

An innovative element supporting excellence and internationalisation of VET is the concept 
of  European  Vocational  Core  Profiles  which  would  define  a  certain  share  of  a  common 
training content at European level. As part of Europass platform and complemented, where 
possible,  by    vocational  digital  content,  the  Profiles  have  a  potential  to  significantly 
facilitate  mobility  of 
learners  and  workers,  automatic  recognition  of  vocational 
qualifications,  and  the  development  of  joint  vocational  education  and  training  curricula, 
qualifications and micro-credentials. 

5.4.5.  Capacity building of providers of vocational 

education and training 

The  2010  Bruges  Communiqué  stated  that:  "VET  provider  organisations  should  be 
encouraged  to  cooperate  at  European  level"  and  several  deliverables  in  the 
Communiqué also imply other stakeholders to work with VET providers.  

VET  providers  and  their  associations  are  crucial  players  in  the  implementation  of  the 
reforms in VET at national level and are directly relevant in the implementation of the EU 
policies and initiatives. They are multipliers, to disseminate the VET policy agenda and good 
practices exchanged at the EU level, while they also provide feedback and expertise from a 
practitioners’ grass root level perspective, to the policy proposals made by the Commission. 

71 

 
 
Some  European  VET  provider  associations  which  have  interests  in  IVET,  CVET,  and  higher 
level  VET  gathered  every  year  since  2010  for  informal  meetings  with  the  EC  services 
responsible for VET. Since 2015, an expert group called "Platform for European Associations 
of  VET  providers"  (hereafter  the  Platform)  has  been  created.  The  group  is  currently 
composed of the 6 European Associations of VET providers: EfVET (https://www.efvet.org/), 
EUproVET  (http://www.euprovet.eu),  EVBB  (http://evbb.eu/),  EVTA  (www.evta.eu)  -  as  4  VET 
centred 
Eucen 
(http://www.eucen.eu/),  the  latter  ones  representing  cross-cutting  sectors  of  relevance,  i.e. 
higher education and lifelong learning. 

(http://www.eurashe.eu/) 

organizations 

EURASHE 

and 

and 

- 

In addition, a “Community of practitioners on promoting quality in  VET delivery” has been 
set  up  in  2017  by  Cedefop  in  close  cooperation  with  the  “Platform”  and  the  Directorate 
General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.   

The  Community  produces  concrete  practical  guidance  for  practitioners,  identify  good 
practices and maximise use of European activities and results at grass-root level. Its work 
is  practice  oriented  and  draw  upon  VET-providers’  own  experience.  A  work-programme 
2017-2020 has been agreed with three axes:  

1.  Technology Enhanced Learning environments 
2.  EU mobility: reinforcing learning attractiveness and employability  
3.  Empowerment and integration of migrants through learning.  

There  is  a  need  to  reinforce  a  structured  dialogue  with  VET  providers  with  a  view  of 
empowering  and  strengthening  their  role  in  the  EU  level  VET  cooperation.  Also  in  several 
editions of the European Vocational Skills Week the need  for  a European VET Community 
was highlighted. 

The Commission aims to build on this initiative and explore options for building a European 
Community of learning providers, by making best use the new Erasmus Programme and of 
relevant  existing  platforms  with  the  aim  to  extend  and  develop  professional  knowledge 
professional practice. 

This  Community  should  reach  out  to  potential  new  members  to  the  Community:  school 
leaders,  teachers  and  in-company  trainers,  HR  managers,  sharing  information  through 
webinars, on-line fora, and meetings.  

Synergies  with  other  platforms 
(School  Education  Gateway,  e-twinning,  EURES, 
Apprenticeships Support Services and others) should be ensured.  Active participants to the 
Community could receive an open badge to recognize their contributions to selected topics. 

5.4.6.  SELFIE tool for VET schools and work-based learning 

The  SELFIE  self-reflection  tool80  supports  schools  at  different  education  levels  (primary, 
lower-secondary, upper-secondary general, upper-secondary vocational and post-secondary 
non-tertiary  education)  in  using  digital  technologies  for  teaching  and  learning.  It  was 
launched  in  October  2018  as  an  action  of  the  Digital  Education  Action  Plan.  The  tool  is 
available in more than 30 languages and has been used by more than 640,000 participants 

80 https://ec.europa.eu/education/schools-go-digital 

72 

 
 
                                              
from  7200  schools  in  57  countries81.  Participation  in  the  tool  is  free  of  charge,  voluntary 
and open to any school worldwide.  

SELFIE gathers anonymously the views of the school’s community (school leaders, teachers, 
and students) on how technology is used in their school. The questions cover areas such as 
leadership,  infrastructure,  teacher  training  and  students’  digital  competence.  More  than 
thirty questions are also relevant for remote/blended teaching and learning, which make it 
particularly  useful  in  the  current  COVID19  crisis.  In  addition,  schools  can  add  up  to  ten 
questions to cover more aspects, for example on emergency remote teaching and learning. 

Based on this input, the tool generates a tailored-made interactive report of each school‘s 
strengths and weaknesses in their use of digital technologies for teaching and learning. The 
findings can help schools know  where they stand, discuss technology use and develop an 
action plan for their school. SELFIE can then be used at a later stage to gauge progress and 
adapt  the  action  plan.  Participants  also  obtain  personalised  certificates  of  participation, 
while schools can receive an open badge.  

SELFIE  is  a  scientifically  validated  tool  which  is  based  on  the  European  Framework  for 
Digitally-Competent Educational Organisations (DigCompOrg82). SELFIE has been developed 
in  close  cooperation  by  the  Commission  in  collaboration  with  a  team  of  experts  from 
schools,  education  ministries  and  research  institutes  across  Europe83.  Partner  institutions 
include  the  European  Training  Foundation,  the  European  Centre  for  the  Development  of 
Vocational  Training  (Cedefop)  and  UNESCO's  Institute  for  Information  Technologies  in 
Education.  Several  Erasmus+  projects  are  currently  also  working  on  developing  additional 
support  services  to  the  tool  and  its  users.  Apart  from  its  use  in  the  Member  States,  the 
European Commission has also been cooperating with the European Training Foundation to 
pilot and extend its use in the countries of the Western Balkans, Turkey and other partner 
countries.  

Cedefop and the European Training Foundation have additionally contributed their expertise 
on  VET  to  assure  the  questionnaire’s  relevance  to  the  specific  needs  of  VET  schools. 
Therefore,  a  few  questions  have  been  added  to  the  SELFIE  questionnaires  for  school 
leaders, teachers and students that are specifically designed to address VET schools. These 
questions include topics such as the use of digital technologies in partnerships with other 
organisation,  career  guidance  or  the  development  of  skills  that  are  relevant  to  the 
vocational qualification of students.  

VET  schools  can  already  use  the  SELFIE  tool  within  their  institutions.  However,  many  VET 
schools also provide opportunities to their learners to obtain skills and gather experiences 
in  the  workplace  (for  example,  apprenticeships  and  traineeships).  These  work-based 
learning  (WBL)  settings  in  VET  are  not  yet  covered  by  the  SELFIE  tool.  Therefore,  a 
feasibility  study,  conducted  by  the  Commission84,  and  supported  by  Cedefop  and  the 
European Training Foundation, assessed whether and how SELFIE could be adapted to WBL 

81 https://schools-go-digital.jrc.ec.europa.eu 
82https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/eur-scientific-and-technical-research-reports/promoting-effective-
digital-age-learning-european-framework-digitally-competent-educational 
83 https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/selfie-forum-teaching-and-learning-digital-age 
84 Broek, S., & Buiskool, B.-J. (2020). Adapting the SELFIE tool for work-based learning systems in Vocational 
Education and Training. A feasibility study. Hippe, R., & Kampylis, P. (eds.). EUR 30079 EN, Publications Office 
of the European Union, Luxembourg, ISBN 978-92-76-10623-4, doi:10.2760/934724, JRC11970.  

73 

 
                                              
systems  in  VET  and  if  there  was  demand  for  such  an  extension  of  the  tool.  To  this  end, 
more  than  30  semi-structured  interviews  with  all  relevant  stakeholder  groups  were 
conducted  in  various  European  countries,  including  VET  schools,  employers,  trade  unions, 
VET  providers’  associations,  employers’  associations  and  international  organisations.  In 
addition,  an  online  survey  was  designed  to  get  further  feedback  from  more  actors  in  the 
field.  The  ongoing  work  was  also  presented  to  the  relevant  groups  at  EU  level,  e.g.  the 
ET2020  Working  Group  on  Vocational  Education  and  Training  and  the  Associations  of 
European  VET  providers.  The  results  of  the  study  show  that  there  is  a  need  for  a  new 
version of the SELFIE tool specifically focussing on the WBL arrangements in VET. Among 
others,  this  new  version  should  include  a  new  questionnaire  for  in-company  trainers  that 
supports students during their time with employers. COVID-19 has shown the difficulty of 
maintaining the work-based learning part of VET in companies, which makes it even more 
important  to  make  the  dialogue  between  VET  teachers  and  in-company  trainers  more 
effective via digital means, such as Selfie for WBL. 

Given  these  results,  the  European  Commission  has  been  developing  the  SELFIE  tool  for 
work-based  learning  contexts  in  VET  since  January  2020.  It  will  allow  VET  schools  and 
employers to reflect jointly on how their collaboration and their use of digital technologies 
for  teaching and learning can be  improved. SELFIE for  work-based learning can thus also 
improve the effectiveness and quality of VET systems as a whole. Pilot testing of the work-
based learning tool is foreseen in several Member States in autumn 2020 (pending tender 
selection  it  should  include  Germany,  France,  Hungary  or  Poland),  with  final  launch  of  the 
tool in  all the official languages of the EU in 2021. Beyond the technical development of 
the  tool,  it  is  important  to  build  the  broader  ecosystem  of  Selfie  for  WBL  by  raising 
awareness and engaging stakeholders closely throughout the process. 

5.5.  Monitoring and indicators for the VET policy framework 

In  order  to  be  able  to  effectively  steer  VET  systems  as  well  as  to  assess  the  progress 
achieved in supporting the adaptation of EU VET systems to the changing social, economic 
and labour market context, an ability to monitor the changes taking place in VET systems 
as well as their effects is paramount.  

At  the  European  level,  VET  systems  are  at  an  intersection  of  multiple  quantitative  and 
qualitative  monitoring  processes.  Existing  approaches  to  monitoring  either  do  not 
systematically  capture  VET  or  do  not  provide  coherent  cross-country  statistical  reporting. 
Despite  lack  of  specific  VET  indicators,  some  ET  2020  benchmarks,  such  as  on 
employability  and  participation  in  adult  learning,  reported  data  on  VET  (professional)  and 
general  education  orientations.  A  further  effort  in  the  direction  to  develop  a  broader 
monitoring  system  for  VET  has  been  the  compilation  of  a  range  of  indicators  within  the 
CEDEFOP project “On the way to 2020: data for vocational education and training policies”.  

European  Statistical  System  has  evolved  a  lot  since  2014  and  generates  now  regularly 
reported data on VET. Also, as of 2021, we will have available on an annual basis regular 
data on work-based learning covering all the EU Member States and  as of 2022 the data 
on adult participation in learning will be based on a 12-month reference with a bi-annual 
frequency. In light of these realized and planned developments, the Advisory Committee on 
Vocational Training (ACVT), in its opinion on the future of vocational education and training 
post-2020, called for the establishment of “A clear and light monitoring framework, against 

74 

 
 
a set of indicators <…>, to enhance transparency and support mutual trust among Member 
States <…>”.  

An ideal monitoring framework would need to be based on a solid logical model and should 
also be underpinned by contextual information and interpretation which would help explain 
the  changes  of  statistical  indicators  within  the  context  of  national  education  and  training 
systems  and  socio-economic  situation.  The  monitoring  through  statistical  indicators, 
reported on an annual or bi-annual frequency in could be combined with reporting on the 
progress implementing policy priorities under the Copenhagen as well as Torino processes. 
This  would  provide  a  comprehensive  picture  of  the  status  of  VET  systems,  development 
trends and policy actions undertaken to enhance the functioning of VET systems throughout 
Europe and neighboring countries.  

The  underlying 
logical  model  that  could  be  used  for  monitoring  the  proposed 
Recommendation  is  an  input-process-output-outcome  model,  regularly  used  as  the  basis 
for the design of monitoring frameworks: 

  The input aspect of the model can be covered by monitoring investment in VET (but 

without proposing a single indicator/ target).  

  The process aspect of the model can be covered by two indicators, representing key 

VET policy priorities, notably 

o  Exposure to work-based learning; 
o 

International learning mobility in formal VET; 

  The  outcome  aspect  of  the  models  can  be  covered  by  an  indicator  on  VET  recent 

graduates employment rate. 

The  proposed  indicators  cover  well  the  different  stages  of  this  model  and  some  of  these 
are also proposed as objectives in the proposal for the Recommendation. 

Investment in VET  

As  for  all  education  and  training  programmes,  financial  resources  are  key  in  steering  the 
vocational  education  and  training  systems.  Financial  resources  can  encourage  institutions 
to offer some programmes rather than  others  and steer the number  of places offered  in 
each  occupation.  This  is  essential  to  ensure  the  mix  of  provision  is  responsive  to  labour 
market needs. Funding arrangements need to take into account the targeted field of study, 
recognising that some programmes are cheaper  to deliver  than others  – one challenge is 
that  the  high  costs  of  starting  new  programmes  (e.g.  new  equipment,  staff  recruitment) 
encourages  the  continuation  of  existing  programmes  and  discourages  the  introduction  of 
new programmes. Financial incentives are also commonly used to encourage employers to 
offer work-based learning – for example in the form of tax breaks to training companies, 
subsidies to employers to take on an apprentice. 

There are two key elements with regard to statistics on investment in VET. First, there is the 
well-established reporting system - Unesco-OECD-Eurostat (UOE) data collection, providing 
on an annual basis data on the expenditure within formal education and training systems. It 
has  a  relatively  good  coverage  of  data  on  VET,  even  if  there  are  some  weaknesses  with 
regard  to  comprehensive  coverage  of  expenditure  on  work-based  learning  (OECD, 
forthcoming). In part, the on-going Eurostat UOE Task Force on Education Expenditure aims 
to address some of the methodological shortcomings of this data collection, which would 
also lead to improvement on coverage of expenditure data on formal VET. Secondly, there 
are three additional data sources on investment into non-formal training, which do provide 
complementary data but even these sources on their own are not fully sufficient to provide 

75 

 
a full picture on investment in non-formal training. These include EU Adult Education Survey 
(EU  AES),  covering  individuals’  own  expenditure;  the  EU  Continuing  Vocational  Training 
Survey  (EU  CVTS),  covering  expenditure  on  training  by  private  sector  enterprises’  with  at 
least  10  persons  employed  and  the  DG  EMPL  ALMP  database,  covering  expenditure  on 
training as part of active labour market policies. The first two data sources, however, only 
provide  relevant  information  every  5  years  (for  EU  CVTS)  or  every  6  years  (for  EU  AES), 
given the relatively lower frequency of these surveys.  

While there is no proposal to set a target for this indicator, it is considered to be a useful 
indicator to further develop as part of the monitoring framework for VET. 

Indicator on work-based learning in medium-level85 VET  

One  of  the  main  priorities  in  Union  VET  policy  has  been  the  promotion  of  work-based 
learning  and  apprenticeships  schemes  in  VET  systems,  as  tools  to  deliver  labour  market 
relevant  skills,  ease  transitions  to  labour  market,  and  contribute  to  reducing  youth 
unemployment.  

Promoting WBL has been a very important area of European cooperation in VET since the 
launch  of  the  Copenhagen  process.  At  their  2015  meeting  in  Riga,  European  Ministers 
responsible  for  VET,  together  with  the  Social  partners  selected  WBL  as  the  first  of  five 
priorities  for  the  period  2015-2020.  The  Commission  Communication  on  the  New  Skills 
Agenda for Europe (2016)86 further reinforces the focus on WBL. The recent 2018 Council 
Recommendation on a framework for quality and effective apprenticeships87 recommends 
that a substantial part of an apprenticeship, meaning at least half of it, should be carried 
out in the workplace and stresses the aim to progress gradually towards that share of the 
apprenticeship being workplace learning.  

Also  beyond  the  EU,  there  is  strong  consensus  about  the  benefits  of  WBL  for  improving 
pathways  to  adulthood;  delivering  economic  and  labour  market  benefits  to  learners, 
enterprises  and  society  more  broadly;  improving  pedagogy;  and  reducing  costs  and 
increasing  capacity  within  the  system  (Sweet,  2011)88.  The  ILO  has  suggested  that 
combined school- and work-based programmes reduce skills mismatches and provide hiring 
possibilities for firms (ILO, 2017a)89.  The latest data from the ad-hoc module of the EU-
LFS  on  young  people  in  the  labour  market,  carried  out  in  2016,  also  clearly  show  the 
benefits  (for  example  higher  employment  rates)  of  work-based  learning  (particularly 
apprenticeships)  for  students. Positive  labour  market  outcomes  from  work-based  learning 
have  been  re-confirmed  in  a  number  of  recent  studies  using  OECD  and  EU-level  data 
(OECD, 2019; JRC, 2020). 

While  there  have  been  some  limitations  in  terms  of  regular  and  comprehensive  data 
coverage  of  work-based  learning  until  now,  it  was  agreed  that  under  the  adopted 
Integrated European Social Statistics Framework Regulation (IESS FR)90, the variable "work 

85 Understood as upper secondary and post-secondary non tertiary VET, according to ISCED11 classification. 
86 COM/2016/0381 final 
87 2018/C 153/01 
88 Sweet, R. 2011. “Work-based learning: Why? How?”, in Revisiting global trends in TVET: Reflections on theory 
and practice (Bonn, UNESCO-UNEVOC). 
89 ILO, 2017. ILO toolkit for quality apprenticeships, Vol. 1: Guide for policy-makers (Geneva). 
90  The  Regulation  (EU)  2019/1700  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  10  October  2019 
establishing a common framework for European statistics relating to persons and households, based on data 

76 

 
                                              
 
experience at a workplace as part of HATLEVEL" (HATWORK) will be included into the core 
LFS  as  from  2021.  This  variable  allows  distinguishing  different  types  of  work-based 
learning, using dimensions such as duration of work-based learning experience as well as if 
it included pay or not. A dedicated European Commission Joint Research Centre Study (JRC, 
2020), confirmed that this data would be a good option for monitoring learners’ exposure 
to  work-based  learning.  This  indicator  focuses  on  medium-level  VET  given  the  lack  of 
standardised  operational  definition  at  international  level  to  isolate  programmes  at 
bachelors  and  masters  levels  in  tertiary  education  belonging  to  vocational/professional 
pathway. 

Figure  11:  Exposure  of  recent  graduates  (aged  15-34)  with  a  medium-level 
vocational education and training qualifications to work-based learning, 2016 

Source: Eurostat, LFS ad-hoc module on young people in the labour market, 2016, special data extraction for 
DG  EMPL.  Reading  note: Recent  graduates are  defined  as individuals who  have  graduated  1-3  years  before 
the  survey.  VET  at  medium  level  includes  qualifications  from  upper-secondary  (ISCED  3)  or  post-secondary 
non-tertiary  (ISCED  4)  education  and  training  programmes.  The  data  also  includes  those  still  enrolled  in 
education  or  training.  Operational  Eurostat  definition  of  apprenticeship  includes  remunerated,  curriculum-
related work-experience during studies, of at least 6 months in duration. Data on share of recent graduates 
exposed to all work-based learning is not reliable for  Malta and Croatia; data on share of recent graduates 
exposed  to  apprenticeships  is  not  reliable  for  Belgium,  Cyprus,  Italy,  Slovenia  and  Spain;  data  on  share  of 
recent graduates exposed to other types of work-based learning apart from apprenticeships is not reliable for 
Cyprus. 

at individual level collected from samples, amending Regulations (EC) No 808/2004, (EC) No 452/2008 and 
(EC)  No  1338/2008  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council,  and  repealing  Regulation  (EC)  No 
1177/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98 (Text with 
EEA relevance) - https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.LI.2019.261.01.0001.01.ENG  

77 

 
 
 
 
  
 
                                                                                                                                             
Indicator on learning mobility in VET  

In the context of the strategic framework on “Education and Training 2020”, the European 
Council  agreed  on  29th  of  November  2011  on  an  EU  benchmark  for  learning  mobility  in 
initial  vocational  education  and  training  (IVET)(European  Commission,  2015).  It  is  stated 
that 91 

“By  2020,  an  EU  average  of  at  least  6%  of  18-34-year-olds  with  an  initial  vocational 
education  and  training  (VET)  qualification  should  have  had  an  initial  VET-related  study  or 
training  period  (including  work  placements)  abroad  lasting  a  minimum  of  2  weeks  (10 
working days), or less if documented by Europass.” 

By  the  time  of  adopting  the  benchmark,  there  had  been  no  data  sources  available  for 
building up the indicator, however, in the conclusions, it has been envisaged to use existing 
household surveys as a future source for measuring learning mobility in IVET.  

For  testing  the  feasibility  of  using  a  general  household  survey  for  collecting  the  required 
data with the needed quality, a pilot had been implemented in 16 EU Member States (MS). 
Some countries did not participate in the survey as they could fall back on administrative 
data (e.g. Finland) or expected to achieve data on IVET learning mobility based on research 
among recent graduates instead of the total population (e.g. Germany, France). By using a 
general  population  survey,  data  of  sufficient  quality  could  be  achieved  only  for  eleven 
countries. It was therefore concluded that a general survey is not the best source of data 
on learning mobility in VET, in particular in countries with a small IVET population and with 
(assumingly)  low  rates  of  participation  in  IVET  learning  mobilities  (European  Commission 
2015). 

Based  on  the  pilot  data  collection  and  discussions  with  Member  State  authorities  and  as 
requested  by  the  Council,  the  Commission,  in  its  Progress  report  on  a  learning  mobility 
benchmark92, proposed to explore the use of administrative data and review the feasibility 
of using such data to underpin the benchmark on IVET mobility. Administrative data on this 
already  exists  in  some  EU  countries  as  well  as  in  other  participating  countries  of  the 
Erasmus  +  programme.  Subsequently,  the  Commission  procured  a  feasibility  study  on 
evaluating the possibility to compute a learning mobility indicator using administrative data 
sources.  

The conclusions of the study point out to the possibility, using primarily Erasmus+ data, but 
also, where appropriate, additional data from national authorities, to compute an indicator 
on  the  prevalence  of  learning  mobility  among  the  population  of  learners  in  formal  VET 
(European Commission, forthcoming). The preliminary results of the initial estimation of the 
indicator is provided below.  

91 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/educ/126380.pdf 
92 COM(2017) 148 final 

78 

 
 
 
 
 
                                              
Figure  12:  the  share  of  mobile  VET  learners  out  of  a  cohort  of  graduates  from 
VET in a corresponding year, EU27 average 

12,0%

10,0%

8,0%

6,0%

4,0%

2,0%

0,0%

3,0% 

3,3% 

3,6% 

4,2% 

[VALUE] 

[VALUE] 

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018*

2019*

EU27

Sources:  for  estimating  the  population  of  mobile  VET  learners  –  total  number  of  contracted  Erasmus+  VET 
KA1 mobile learners in the reference year for years 2014-2019; for estimating the reference population – the 
number  of  VET  graduates  in  the  reference  year,  compiled  by  Eurostat  through  the  UOE  data  collection  for 
years  2014-2017,  online  data  table  [educ_uoe_grad01].  For  estimating  the  reference  population  in  years 
2018 and 2019, the data from year 2017 (latest available) was used. This includes learners enrolled in VET 
programs provided by education and training institutions which are located within the EU27, who may go for a 
learning  mobility into  another EU  Member  States or another eligible  country,  benefiting  from Erasmus+  (i.e. 
outgoing learning mobility). 

Figure  13:  the  share  of  mobile  VET  learners  out  of  a  cohort  of  graduates  from 
VET in a corresponding year, by country 
50,0%

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018*

2019*

45,0%

40,0%

35,0%

30,0%

25,0%

20,0%

15,0%

10,0%

5,0%

0,0%

NL IE

IT

FI FR ES RO BE DE PL AT MT HR CZ LU PT HU SK DK SE EL SI

LT BG LV EE CY

79 

 
 
Sources:  for  estimating  the  population  of  mobile  VET  learners  –  total  number  of  contracted  Erasmus+  VET 
KA1 mobile learners in the reference year for years 2014-2019; for estimating the reference population – the 
number  of  VET  graduates  in  the  reference  year,  compiled  by  Eurostat  through  the  UOE  data  collection  for 
years  2014-2017,  online  data  table  [educ_uoe_grad01].  For  estimating  the  reference  population  in  years 
2018 and 2019, the data from year 2017 (latest available) was used. 

There  are  benefits  as  well  as  shortcomings  of  using  such  data  for  monitoring  learning 
mobility in VET. The benefits are the readily and regularly available data that would allow 
to provide indications on the availability of learning mobility opportunities across countries 
for VET learners. It could help inform both national and EU level policy, monitor trends and 
allow  estimating  the  potential  impact  of  reforms  and  initiatives  undertaken  to  stimulate 
mobility opportunities. In the current situation, such data seems to be under-utilized both at 
European and national levels.  

At  the  same  time,  as  with  almost  any  indicator,  there  are  also  some  shortcomings  that 
need to be taken into account when analyzing and interpreting the data. Most notably, the 
proposed formulation of the indicator would not allow including data on mobility which is 
not co-financed by Erasmus+. In a few countries there are significant alternative programs 
to  provide  financial  support  and  stimulate  learning  mobility,  thus  under-estimating  the 
prevalence of the phenomenon. At the same time, it is also recognized that at least in some 
cases alternative financing programs are used to co-finance learning mobility to many of 
the  same  mobile  learners  who  receive  co-financing  via  Erasmus+.  This  would  somewhat 
reduce  the  likely  level  of  under-estimation.  Also,  existing  data  would  not  provide  any 
information  on  privately  financed  learning  mobility,  however  again  it  is  expected  that, 
particularly  at  upper-secondary  level,  the  number  of  self-financed  learning  mobilities  are 
likely to be limited in most countries.  

Indicator on employment rate of recent graduates from medium-level VET  

The  employment  rate  of  recent  graduates  is  a  well-established  indicator,  underpinned  by 
the  regular  data  collected  via  the  EU  Labour  Force  Survey.  It  is  also  an  Education  and 
Training benchmark: 'By 2020, the share of employed graduates (20-34 year olds) having 
left education and training no more than three years before the reference year should be at 
least 82% (as compared to 76.5 % in 2010).'  

An integral part of this benchmark, is the indicator on the employability of recent graduates 
from medium-level VET, measured as the share of employed graduates from VET at upper-
secondary  and  post-secondary  non-tertiary  levels  having  left  education  and  training  no 
more than three years before the reference year. This indicator is well-established for the 
monitoring  of  employment  rates  of  recent  VET  gradutes  and  regularly  reported  by  the 
Commission  in  the  Joint  Employment  Report,  European  Semester  Country  Reports  as  well 
as Education and Training Monitor.  

The  proposed  target,  at  82%,  builds  upon  the  target  set  in  ET2020  at  82%  and  which 
covers  graduates  from  tertiary,  upper-secondary/post-secondary  non-tertiary  vocational 
and  upper-secondary/post-secondary  non-tertiary  general  education.  The  current 
employment rates of recent graduates from medium-level VET stands at 79% for EU27, up 
from  72.4%  in  2014  (no  data  is  available  prior  to  2014).  Given  the  expected  rise  in 
unemployment, it is proposed to keep the same lavel of amibtion to be achieved by 2025.  

80 

 
Figure 14: Employment rate of recent graduates from medium-level VET (2018) 

100

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Source:  Eurostat  (EU-LFS,  2018,  online  data  code  [edat_lfse_24]).  Data  only  individuals,  aged  20-34,  who 
have graduated 1-3 years before the survey from upper-secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary vocational 
education and training. The data exclude those still enrolled in education or training. 

6.  CONCLUSIONS 

The  analysis  and  evidence  developed  in  this  Staff  Working  Document  underlines  in  detail 
the  need  to  further  develop  the  European  policy  framework  regarding  VET  in  light  of  the 
societal, economic, technological and environmental developments and the current OCIVD-
19  crisis.  The  proposal  e  aims  to  cater  for  the  skills  needs  of  both  young  and  adult 
population,  facilitate  swift  responses  to  changing  labour  market  needs  and  equip  people 
with  the  skills  for  the  recovery,  green  and  digital  transitions  and  active  participation  in 
society. It also places a strong focus on the need to integrate VET into economic, industrial 
and  innovation  strategies  and  embed  social  and  environmental  sustainability  into  VET 
programmes.  

The  economic  recovery  from  the  COVID-19  outbreak  is  an  opportunity  to  accelerate 
reforms in VET and strengthen its resilience, notably by digitalising learning tools and agile 
adaptation to changing labour market needs. Future-proofing VET systems means making 
them adaptable to  any foreseen and unforeseen challenges. It means strengthening their 
capacity to adapt quickly throughout economic cycles, but also in light of an ever-changing 
world of work and skills. Once the new VET policy agenda will be adopted by the Council, it 
will  be  important  to  work  together  with  all  stakeholders,  including  social  partners,  at 
national  and  regional  level  and  in  particular  also  with  VET  providers  and  teachers  to 
develop and put in practice measures to implement it. 

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