In September 2017, the Ministry of Education and Science launched a public consultation on its VET development concept. The main focus areas are flexible learning pathways, attractive learning opportunities, and quality guidance services to match the interests of young people and of the labour market.

Different regions in the country organised follow-up discussions with stakeholders. Emphasis was placed on creating a mechanism for monitoring the professional pathways of VET graduates and improving access to the system for early school leavers. Discussions pointed to the development of a one-stop-shop portal with information for all VET providers, combining existing online registers of the Ministry of Education and Science and the National Agency for VET.

Business representatives expressed their expectations for future VET programmes to incorporate horizontal skills and competences, including planning, data analysis, teamwork, effective communication, and digital skills.

The discussions contributed to drawing the attention of the general public to the current VET reform and confirmed the importance of VET for national economic success.