Vocational education and training : policy briefs 2023 : Bulgaria.
Date: 2024-05-30
Institutions: Cedefop
Subjects: Bulgaria, continuing education, professional career, recognition of vocational training qualifications, statistics, vocational education, vocational training

BULGARIA

ENVocational education  and trainingPolicy briefs 2023Cedefop monitoring and analysis of VET policiesThis  VET  policy  brief  was  produced  by  the  European  Centre  for  the  Development  of 
Vocational Training (Cedefop), Department for VET [vocational education and training] and 
Qualifications under the supervision of Loukas Zahilas, Head of Department. 
The  report  was  drafted  by  Nikolaos  Georgiadis,  Cedefop  expert,  under  the  guidance  of 
Irina Jemeljanova, Cedefop expert. 
This report is part of Cedefop’s monitoring of vocational education and training policies and 
systems. It is based on detailed information on VET policy implementation submitted by 
Cedefopʼs  European  network  of  expertise  on  VET  (ReferNet)  and  other  sources.  For 
additional information please visit Cedefop’s online tool Timeline of VET policies in Europe. 

Please cite this publication as: 
Cedefop (2024). Vocational education and training policy briefs 2023 – Bulgaria. 
Cedefop monitoring and analysis of vocational education and training policies. 
http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/957076 

A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the internet. 
It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu). 
Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2024 

© Cedefop, 2024. 

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PDF ISBN 978-92-896-3736-7 doi: 10.2801/957076 TI-02-24-438-EN-N 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Contents 

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Introduction .............................................................................................................. 2 

National VET context and challenges ...................................................................... 2 

2.1  National VET context ...................................................................................... 2 

2.2  Challenges ..................................................................................................... 3 

National VET policy priorities ................................................................................... 4 

Main policy developments 2020 and 2023 ............................................................... 4 

4.1 

Improving labour market relevance and modernising VET .............................. 4 

4.2 Strengthening the involvement of key stakeholders at central, regional, local 
and sectoral level and further support their active participation in Quality Assurance 
in VET and LLL ........................................................................................................ 6 

4.3  Promoting and strengthening LLL to increase adult participation and skill 
levels of adults ......................................................................................................... 7 

Statistical information in relation to EU targets ......................................................... 8 

Conclusion............................................................................................................... 9

References ..................................................................................................................... 10 

3 

1.

Introduction

This VET policy brief produced by Cedefop presents a snapshot of vocational education and
training policy developments in Bulgaria between 2020 and the beginning of 2023. It presents
the context and the challenges the country faces, a selection of the latest VET-related statistics
as well as the national priorities until 2030 identified in Bulgaria’s national implementation plan.
This  VET  policy  brief  provides  information  from  Cedefop  monitoring  and  analysis  on  the
implementation of the Council Recommendation on VET and Osnabrück Declaration. It offers
stakeholders a regular source of information on VET policy developments that could be used
for future policy making.

2.

National VET context and challenges

2.1  National VET context 
The Ministry of Education and Science coordinates national policy on vocational education 
and  training  (VET)  in  Bulgaria.  Sports  and  culture  ministries  are  responsible  for  VET 
schools in the respective study fields. The National agency for vocational education and 
training  (NAVET)  is  a  key  stakeholder  responsible  for  developing  State  education 
standards that shape qualifications and curricula for all VET qualifications (EQF levels 2 to 
5).  Social  partners  have  decision-making  and  advisory  roles  in  shaping  VET.  Their 
representatives participate in regional and national councils and examination boards set 
up by VET providers, and they are involved in developing State education standards (SES) 
and  updating  the  List  of  professions  for  VET  (LPVET)  (Cedefop;  National  Agency  for 
Vocational Education and Training, 2022). VET development is linked to skills development 
policies, with the National Development Plan Bulgaria 2030 (NDPB) a major milestone. 

According  to the  VET  Act,  VET targets two  groups  of  learners:  school-age  learners 
and adults (16+ not in formal education and training). Young people usually enrol in VET 
from age 14. IVET enrolments at upper secondary level have been stable at about half of 
all the upper secondary learner population. While dual VET was introduced in 2015, with 
shared  financing  from  the  EU  and  bilateral  cooperation  with  Switzerland,  work-based 
learning  (WBL)  forms  a  substantial  part  (50%  to  70%  or  more)  of  all  VET  programmes, 
most of which are school-based. 

Quality assurance criteria and procedures for the validation of non-formal and informal 
learning have been developed in accordance with the relevant legal framework, introduced 
in 2015. Validation procedures may be organised by all VET providers on the condition that 
the process concerns qualifications from LPVET. 

The  2015-20  VET  development  strategy  has  been  essential  for  addressing  the 
acquisition of key competences in secondary VET. The strategy also aimed to increase the 
number of adults taking part in training and to improve the attainment of qualifications and 
key competences. It foresaw a continuing training system for VET teachers and trainers 

4 

compatible  with  their  higher  education  degree.  Through  its  action  plan  for  2015-17,  the 
strategy provided for measures and activities related to the training of trainers in companies 
for  dual  VET  programmes.  It  promoted  cooperation  among  VET  institutions,  companies 
and universities focusing on continuous professional development (CPD) for teachers, VET 
teachers included, and initiated the process of modernisation of VET infrastructure. 

2.2  Challenges 
The  challenges  that  Bulgaria  has  faced  in  2020-23  include  labour  market  and  skills 
shortages,  especially  for  occupations  relevant  to  the  twin  transition,  low  levels  of  key 
competences  coupled  with  low  participation  of  adults  in  learning,  and  growing  concerns 
regarding future shortages in the teaching population and the employability prospects of 
recent IVET graduates (European Commission, 2023; European Commission,2022). 

Although  the  Bulgarian  labour  market  is  recovering  from  the  COVID-19  pandemic, 
shortages persist.  The employment rate of the working population aged 20-64 was 75.7% 
in 2022, which is above the EU-27 average; however, the working age population has been 
shrinking,  hindering  economic  growth  prospects  (European  Commission,  2023)  (1). 
Besides the decline in the working population, skills shortages are exacerbated by the slow 
adaptation  of  Bulgarian  VET  to  labour  market  needs  (2)  (European  Commission,  2023). 
Labour and skill shortages are especially notable for green sectors, creating threats in the 
transition to a net-zero economy (European Commission, 2023). In 2022, labour shortages 
were reported for several occupations in real estate, education, healthcare, and social work 
that required specific skillsets for the twin transition. 

Low  levels  of  key  competences  of  young  people  and  adults,  specifically  regarding 
digital  skills,  and  the  inclusion  of  vulnerable  groups  such  as  Roma  and  people  with 
disabilities, is another set of challenges for Bulgaria (European Commission, 2022). Almost 
half of young Bulgarians lack basic skills in reading, mathematics or science. The share of 
adults with at least basic digital skills was 31.2% in 2021, well below the EU average of 
53.9%  (Cedefop,  2024).  The  success  of  vocational  and  higher  education  in  equipping 
graduates  with  the  necessary  skillset for  their  working  environments  is  limited.  This  fact 
has  a  negative  impact  on  the  employability  prospects  of  IVET  graduates  (European 
Commission, 2023; OECD,2023). Bulgaria also faces the challenge of future shortage of 
teachers, as half of them are aged 50 and older (European Commission, 2023; European 
Commission, 2022). 

(1) The working age population has shrunk by 19.1% between 2011 and 2021 as the 2021 Census
demonstrates (European Commission,2023). Although population decline and ageing have a
deep impact on the skills profile and needs of Bulgaria’s economy and society, it is emigration
which is seen as a major challenge. The share of emigration in the demographic decline has
increased: while emigration accounted for 32.3% of population loss between 2002 and 2011,
its share increased to 40.7% between 2012 and 2021.  Looking forward, Bulgaria’s population
is expected to shrink by one-quarter from 2020 to 2050 (OECD,2023).
In  2022,  labour  shortages  were  reported  as  a  production  constraining  factor  in  industry  by
34.9% of companies and construction by 39.5% of companies (European Commission, 2023).

(2)

5 

National VET policy priorities

3.
The national implementation plan (NIP) Bulgaria prepared in response to the 2020 Council 
Recommendation  on  VET  and  the  Osnabrück  Declaration  on  vocational  education  and 
training is based on two major strategic documents, the National development programme 
BULGARIA 2030 (3) and the Strategic framework for the development of education, training 
and  learning  in  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria  (2021  -  30),  adopted  in  2021  (4).  Among  the 
priorities considered in the NIP, the following can be highlighted: 
(a)

improving labour market relevance and modernising VET in line with the labour market
dynamics, and the needs of digitalisation and greening of the economy;

(b) strengthening  the  involvement  of  key  stakeholders  at  central,  regional,  local  and

sectoral levels in VET and lifelong learning (LLL);

(c) promoting  and  strengthening  LLL  to  increase  adult  participation  and  skill  levels  of
adults. The National development programme BULGARIA 2030 has set the target to
increase the LLL participation rate of adults  to 35.4% by 2030, which is below the EU
target of 60% set for 2030 in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan.

4. Main policy developments 2020 and 2023

4.1 
Improving labour market relevance and modernising VET 
Bulgaria is taking measures to improve the labour market relevance of VET. In 2022, the 
ESF+ jointly funded VET modernisation project began covering labour market relevance 
and VET attractiveness (5). 

An  assessment  to  monitor  the  impact  of  the  VET  Act  (VETA) (6)  was  carried  out  in 
2022. The assessment concluded that VETA fulfilled its goals over the past 5 years. More 
precisely, VETA formed a legislative basis that favours VET attractiveness and contributed 
to the rapid development of the VET system. At the same time, the assessment identified 
areas  for  improvement,  such  as  the  regulatory  framework  of  assessment  and  validation 
practices, updating LPVET, the timely SES revision, the introduction of a solid mechanism 
for VET graduate tracking, a more systematic lifelong guidance system, and measures that 
improve the quality of VET provision. 

(3) The National development programme BULGARIA 2030 is available.
(4) The Strategic framework for the development of education, training and learning in the Republic

of Bulgaria is available in Bulgarian only.

(5) Labour market relevance is also set as priority 7 of the Strategic framework for the development
of education, training and lifelong learning 2021-30. Bulgaria was one of the first EU countries
to have all its ESF+ programmes adopted in August 2022. More information are available. The
ESF+ will allocate nearly EUR 1 billion to the modernisation of the country’s education system,
including VET and higher education.

(6) The Report on the ex-post impact assessment of the Vocational Education and Training Act
(VETA)-in Bulgarian was published in December 2022 in the webpage of the education ministry.

6 

In 2022, Bulgaria continued to implement national programmes to support achieving 
national priorities in VET (7). Through these programmes, the equipment of 21 schools has 
been modernised, with 10% financing by employers. The documentation of three SES was 
updated  and  17  framework  curricula,  98  training  programmes  for  VET  subjects,  and  18 
national  examination  programmes  were  developed.  In  2022,  the  national  programme  IT 
skills and career increased the number of enrolled students to 1 122 from 748 in 2021. 164 
learners  graduated  obtaining  the  VET  qualification  Applied  programmer,  and  a  tracking 
mechanism has been implemented to track their progression either in employment or in 
higher education. In 2022, the National programme Business teaches, funded the training 
of 100 teachers in companies where they had a chance to update their skills in the latest 
technological developments. 

There is a current revision and update of VET occupations, SES and curricula as part 
of major reform. As part of the VET modernisation project, the revision and development 
of  content  (the  list  of  professions,  standards,  curricula  and  teacher  training)  in  10  pilot 
sectors was planned. LPVET is being optimised. In 2022, NAVET organised discussions 
with  VET  stakeholders  about  possible  changes  in  certain  sectors:  hotel, restaurant,  and 
catering;  travel,  tourism  and  leisure;  and  production  technologies:  textiles,  clothing, 
footwear  and  leather.  In  December  2022,  NAVET  submitted  for  approval  a  draft  of  an 
updated Order for the development and maintenance of the LPVET. In 2022, the education 
minister  mandated  a  working  group,  comprising  representatives  from  the  education 
ministry, the labour ministry, the economy and industry ministry, NAVET, social partners 
and training providers, to propose VET Act amendments aligned with the need to redesign 
the LPVET. 

In  2022,  VET  curricula  for  specialties  in  25  sections  of  economic  activity  from  the 
LPVET  and  19  State  educational  standards  were  updated.  Also  in  2022,  the  education 
ministry  reviewed  the  curricula  for  general  education  subjects  for  grades  1  -  10. 
Recommendations for improving the curricula in specific disciplines such as mathematics 
and geography have been developed. 

Employers have a role in developing dual VET. In 2022, the promotion of dual VET 
and work to increase enrolment rates continued. The total number of enrolments in dual 
VET in Bulgaria exceeded 11 000 students in September 2022, with 2 106 enrolments just 
for  the  academic  year  2022/23.This  increase  was  achieved  through  the  ESF  project 
Support for the dual training system, which provides employers with the opportunity to hire 
qualified dual VET learners. In 2022, the scope of the VET system grew substantially. One 
of  the  most  significant  developments  was  the  introduction  of  a  toolkit  for  assessing  the 
quality  of  dual  VET  with  particular  emphasis  on  WBL.  The  toolkit  was  developed  by  a 
consortium  of  experts  and  is  a  practical  guide  for  dual  VET,  which  summarises  the 
experience gained from all relevant projects which served as pilots for the country.  

Bulgaria  aims  to  recruit  motivated  specialists  with  diverse  backgrounds  into  the 
teaching  profession  as  part  of  the  national  programme  Motivated  teachers  and 

(7)

In Bulgaria, the national priorities for general education and VET are accompanied by specific
national programmes to support their achievement.

7 

qualification,  introduced  in  2022.  In  2022,  the  Bulgarian  government  continued  to 
encourage  the  enrolment  of  students  interested  in  acquiring  the  teaching  certificate  by 
providing additional scholarships of EUR 51 (BGN 100) per month.  Students enrolled in 
‛pedagogy′ and ‛pedagogy of training′ were also exempted from tuition fees. The national 
programme  Motivated  teachers  and  qualification,  also  aims  to  improve  the  key 
competences of the existing pedagogical specialists, and to implement a system for the 
evaluation of the effect of teacher training on their CPD. The first module of the programme 
supports the training of teachers who are new to the school environment and their inclusion 
in the education process in schools with teacher shortages. 

4.2  Strengthening  the  involvement  of  key  stakeholders  at  central, 
regional,  local  and  sectoral  level  and  further  support  their  active 
participation in Quality Assurance in VET and LLL 
Bulgaria  is  taking  measures  to  strengthen  the  role  and  participation  of  key  VET 
stakeholders at all levels of VET governance and implementation. It intends to establish 10 
pilot sectoral skills councils (SSC) (Government of the Republic of Bulgaria, 2022). These 
will provide their expertise in VET SES development, in the modernisation of VET curricula, 
with particular emphasis on green and digital skills/competences, and the introduction of 
new  SES.  The  SSC  will  also  play  a  vital  role  in  the  development  of  graduate  tracking 
mechanisms. These activities are planned to be implemented between 2023-27. In 2020, 
a thematic country review by Cedefop to improve the governance of skills anticipation was 
concluded (8) (Cedefop, 2020). 

The  consultative  council  for  VET  approved  conceptual  proposals  for  VET  Act 
amendments in July 2022.The Council involves experts from the Resource Working Group. 
The Consultative Council also monitors the implementation of activities included in the NIP. 
In 2022, social partners developed 565 unified profiles (9) of digital skills for over 560 
key jobs /occupations identified for 99 sections of economic activity under the ESF+ project 
Development of digital skills. Also in 2022, 15 tools were developed to test the digital skills 
of employees. These instruments were tested on 3 680 employees working in the identified 
jobs/occupations.  The  results  were  used  for  developing  unified  sectoral  qualifications 
frameworks for digital skills. By the end of 2022, 99 such frameworks had been developed. 
Also  by  this  time,  240  sectoral  curricula/study  programmes  were  developed  for  each 
respective section of economic activity embedding the necessary digital skillset reflecting 
current and future trends. 

(8) Cedefop, (2020). Strengthening skills anticipation and matching in Bulgaria: Bridging education

and the world of work through better coordination and skills intelligence.

(9) A unified profile of digital skills includes general and specific digital skills for an occupation or a
job,  depending  on  its  specific  needs.  In  the  national  context,  the  recommendation  is  not  to
exceed  12  skills  per  profile.  General  digital  skills  are  horizontal,  such  as  handling  Microsoft
products. Specific skills include working with specialised software used in the job or occupation.
The term unified also refers to the common methodologies that were used and to the approach
to the validation of these profiles, on which trade unions and employers agreed at federal and
sectoral level.

8 

In 2022, the Employment Agency conducted surveys on employer workforce needs. 
Information was collected from employers about new specialties to be financed as State-
protected  or  as  specialties  leading  to  occupations/job  posts  with  expected  shortages  in 
specialised staff. At the beginning of 2022, an updated list of State-protected specialties 
was adopted for the academic year 2022/23, including a total of 51 specialties, An updated 
list  of  specialties  with  an  expected  shortage  of  specialised  staff  for  the  academic  year 
2022/23 included 78 specialties. 

In February 2022, a project began with the OECD, entitled OECD skills strategy (OSS). 
Representatives from the Ministry of Education and Science (MES), the Ministry of Labour 
and  Social  Policy  (MLSP),  the  Ministry  of  Innovation  and  Growth  (MIG),  the  Ministry  of 
Economy  and  Industry  (MEI),  the  Ministry  of  Finance,  the  Bulgarian  Industrial  Capital 
Association  (BICA),  the  Bulgarian  Industrial  Association  (BIA),  the  Union  for  Private 
Economic Enterprise, and a non-governmental organisation, the Education Bulgaria 2030 
Association, were involved. The OECD report was published in June 2023 (10), providing 
Bulgarian  authorities  and  stakeholders  with  guidelines  and  policy  recommendations  on 
developing a national skills strategy (Government of the Republic of Bulgaria, 2022). 

4.3 

Promoting and strengthening LLL to increase adult participation 
and skill levels of adults 

Bulgaria has taken steps and is planning additional measures to promote the benefits of 
LLL and increase flexible learning provision, including online; some of these steps target 
specific vulnerable groups. 

The Employment strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria 2021–30  focuses, among other 
measures, on modernising the adult education system and foresees the creation of a digital 
platform  for  online  training  of  adults  to  acquire  vocational  qualifications  and  key 
competences by 2026. 

The  2022  national  employment  action  plan  focused  on  a  faster  integration  into  the 
labour  market  of  young  people  not  in  employment,  education  or  training  (NEETs)  and 
unemployed individuals without vocational qualifications, through upskilling and reskilling 
courses.  In  2022,  the  application  of  an  innovative  approach  to  vocational  guidance 
continued.  It  provided  individuals  with  opportunities  to  test  their  practical  skills  in  a 
profession of their choice, to be able to take informed decisions in selecting their career 
path or professional development. The plan also provides financial incentives to employers 
to train either employed or unemployed individuals. As a result of the plan’s implementation, 
10 717 unemployed persons have been trained and 20 537 unemployed people have found 
employment.  In  2022,  small  and  medium-sized  enterprises  (SMEs)  were  provided  with 
financial support to train their employees for the acquisition of key competences; 50% of 
the training costs were covered by the State budget. 

(10) OECD  (2023). OECD  Skills  Strategy  Bulgaria: Assessment  and  Recommendations.  OECD

Skills Studies. OECD Publishing. Paris.

9 

In  June  2022,  the  Act  on  Amendments  and  Supplements  to  the  Employment 
Promotion Act extended the list of activities eligible for funding under the active employment 
policy  framework  and  affected the  conditions for the  validation  of  vocational  knowledge, 
skills  and  competences,  stipulated  in  the  VET  Act.  More  precisely,  the  conditions  for 
including individuals in training to acquire a qualification in professions for the first (lowest) 
degree of vocational qualification changed. The opportunities for those without education 
and/or  training  to  acquire  a  professional  qualification  were  also  regulated.    With  these 
changes, those without education have the possibility to take part in training and to acquire 
a  professional  qualification  in  combination  with  the  development  of  their  literacy 
competence. 

Statistical information in relation to EU targets
5.
Employment prospects for recent IVET graduates are not favourable in Bulgaria. In 2022, 
the employment rate of recent VET graduates was 64.8%, 14.9 percentage points below 
the EU-27 average of 79.7% and 15.2 percentage points lower than the national target of 
80% as set in the National development plan Bulgaria 2030. 

Bulgaria has made steps to reduce early school leaving and the rate of young people 
not in employment, education or training (NEETs). However, its performance is still below 
EU-27 averages. For the former, the rate was 10.5% in 2022 against the EU-27 average 
of 9.6% and the 9% EU  2030 target. For the latter, the rate was 15.1% in 2022; though 
there has been a decrease from 22.4% in 2016, there is still a way to go to reach the EU 
2030 target of 9%. 

Participation in lifelong learning of 25 to 64-year-olds is one of the lowest in the EU at 
9.5%, well below the EU-27 average of 39.5% and the EU target of 47% by 2025 set in the 
Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and 
training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-30). 

Table 1. European vocational education and training policy dashboard: Bulgaria 

Type of 
indicator 
(11) 

Indicator 

Last 
availabl
e year 

BG 

EU-27 

VET for developing a lifelong learning culture 

Progress 

Adults (25-  64 year-olds) with a learning 
experience in the last 12 months (%)* 

2022 

9.5 

39.5 

Progress 

Progress 

Low-qualified adults with a learning 
experience in the last 12 months (%) 
Unemployed adults with a learning 
experience in the last 4 weeks (%) 

2022 

2022 

: 

:u 

18.4 

13.2 

Policy 
Documen
t 

Skills 
Agenda 
Council 
Resolution 
on EEA 
ESPR 
Action 
Plan 
Skills 
Agenda 
Skills 
Agenda 

EU target 
(year) 

50%(2025) 

47% (2025) 

60% (2030) 

30% (2025) 

20% (2025) 

(11) Definitions on the type of indicators are available.

10 

Context 

Employment rate for 20-64 year-olds (%) 

2022 

75.7 

74.6 

Context 

Early leavers from education and training 
(%) 

2022 

10.5 

9.6 

Context 

NEET rate for 15- 29-year-olds (%) 

2022 

15.1 

11.7 

VET for Resilience, transitions, sustainability and excellence 

Progress 

Adults (16- 74 year-olds) with at least basic 
digital skills (%) 

2021 

31.2 

53.9 

Progress 

Employment rate for recent IVET graduates 
(20- 34- year-olds) (%) 

2022 

64.8u 

79.7 

Progress 

Recent IVET graduates (20 -34-year-olds) 
with a work-based learning experience as 
part of their vocational education and 
training (%) 

2022 

:u 

60.1 

Context 

25 -34-year-olds with tertiary attainment (%) 

2022 

33.8 

42 

Context  Gender employment gap (%) 

2022 

7.7 

10.7 

Context 

People at risk of poverty or social exclusion 
(1000s) 

2022 

2 206 

95 284 

Context 

Employed ICT specialists (1000s) 

2022 

120.7 

9 370.2e 

VET for the European Education Area 

Progress 

Learners in IVET who benefitted from a 
learning mobility abroad (%) ** 

2021 

5.9 

2.1 dV 

ESPR 
Action 
Plan 
Council 
Resolution 
on EEA 
ESPR 
Action 
Plan 

Skills 
Agenda 
ESPR 
Action 
Plan 
Council 
Rec on 
VET 
Council 
Rec on 
VET 
Council 
Resolution 
on EEA 
Council 
Resolution 
on EEA 
ESPR 
Action 
Plan 
ESPR 
Action 
Plan 

2030 
Digital 
Compass 

Council 
Rec on 
VET 
Skills 
Agenda 

78% (2030) 

<9% (2030) 

9% (2030) 

70% (2025) 

80% (2030) 

82% (2025) 

60% (2025) 

45% (2025) 

To be halved 
(2030) 
15 million 
decrease 
(2030) 
20 million, with 
convergence 
between men 
and women 
(2030) 

8% (2025) 

Context 

Average number of foreign languages 
learned in IVET 

2021 

1.5 

1.2 

Available flags: d -definition differs, e -estimated, u- low reliability, V- Cedefop estimate, Special value: - not available
*
** 
Source: Cedefop. European VET policy dashboard 

Eurostat data (Adult Education Survey, special calculation excluding guided on-the-job training)
Provisional estimates affected by the Covid19 pandemic

Conclusion

6.
Bulgaria has been making efforts to improve the labour market relevance of its VET system, 
to promote the role of VET key stakeholders and to promote and increase adult participation 
in training. 

To improve the labour market relevance of VET, the country has been updating the 
VET  legal  framework.  Bulgaria  has  in  place  national  programmes  which  support  the 
implementation of priorities in VET, from updating the school infrastructure and equipment 
to developing digital skills and careers. It has also started updating LPVET and is constantly 
revising  SES  and  VET  curricula.  Social  partners  are  involved  in  dual  VET,  which  is 

11 

expanding.  There  are  incentives  to  attract  students  to  become  teachers.  Bulgaria  could 
benefit  from  less  frequent  changes  in  framework  priorities,  speeding  up  the  process  of 
curriculum update, further improving dual VET, including based on stakeholder feedback, 
and  ensuring  that  these  changes  equip  VET  graduates  with  necessary  transversal  and 
cognitive skills to meet their working environment needs (World Bank, 2022; OECD, 2023). 
Bulgaria  has  also  taken  action  to  involve  key  VET  stakeholders  in  governance  and 
provision. Social partners are represented in the consultative council for VET; they played 
a  vital  role  in  identifying  the  digital  skills  profiles  for  some  564  occupations,  and  are 
consulted by the State in relation to the list of protected specialties or the list of professions 
with  expected  shortages  in  the  labour  market.  However,  they  often  fail  to  keep  up  with 
legislative changes (World Bank, 2022). Bulgaria could benefit from better coordination of 
VET  stakeholders  at  various  levels,  beginning  with  better  coordination  within  the 
government and the respective ministries responsible for skills development. The country 
could  also  benefit  by  ensuring  that  appropriate  VET  stakeholders  participate  in  the 
consultative council for VET (OECD, 2023). 

Bulgaria  has  taken  measures  to  increase  adult  participation  in  VET.  The  2022 
employment  action  plan had  NEETs  and young unemployed  people  up  to  age  29  as  its 
main priority. Bulgaria has changed legislation for the validation of prior learning providing 
more training opportunities to vulnerable groups. However, the 2022 Bulgarian employment 
action plan focused mainly in direct job creation and not as much as it should on training 
(European Commission, 2023). The country could benefit from more efficient absorption of 
EU cohesion funds to secure the participation of vulnerable groups in training and to reach 
its  ambitious  adult  participation  rate  by  2030  (European  Commission,  2023;  European 
Commission, 2022). 

Stepping up the planned measures would allow Bulgaria to meet the objectives set in 
the NIP in line with the VET Recommendation and the Osnabruck Declaration and national 
strategic documents. 

References 

Cedefop and ReferNet (2023). Timeline of VET policies in Europe [online tool]. 

Cedefop;  National  Agency  for  Vocational  Education  and  Training  (2022).  Vocational 
education  and  training  in  Europe  -  Bulgaria:  system  description  [From  Cedefop; 
ReferNet. Vocational education and training in Europe database]. 

Cedefop (2024). European VET policy dashboard [data set]. 
Cedefop  (2020).  Strengthening  skills  anticipation  and  matching  in  Bulgaria:  Bridging 
education and the world of work through better coordination and skills intelligence. 
European  Commission.  (2023).  Commission  Staff  Working  Document  2023  Country 
Report-  Bulgaria  Accompanying  the  document  Recommendation  for  a  COUNCIL 
RECOMMENDATION  on  the  2023  National  Reform  Programme  of  Bulgaria  and 
delivering  a  Council  opinion  on  the  2023  Convergence  Programme  of  Bulgaria. 
COM(2023) 602 final. 

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European  Commission.  (2022).  Education  and  Training  Monitor  2022:  Bulgaria. 

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. 

European  Commission.  (2021).  Education  and  Training  Monitor  2021:  Bulgaria. 

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. 

Government  of  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria  (2022).  National  Implementation  plan  on  VET: 

Bulgaria (not published) 

OECD.  (2023).  OECD  Skills  Strategy  Bulgaria:  Assessment  and  Recommendations. 

OECD Skills Studies. OECD Publishing. Paris. 

World Bank. (2022). Vocational Education and Lifelong Learning in Bulgaria: Situation 

Analysis and Policy Direction Recommendations. 

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