At an international conference on bringing together businesses and vocational education and training (VET) schools, organised under the auspices of the Polish Ministry of Education in Gdansk on 28 February, Cedefop Head of Department for VET Systems and Institutions Loukas Zahilas talked about the future of VET.

The event presented good practices and ways of shaping independence in gaining and using information when planning a professional career. It provided information and ideas to 700 young people and policy-makers, including high-level officials of national and regional authorities. Stakeholders from different professional areas described their experiences and offered their opinions, helping create a forum for professional knowledge and networking possibilities.

In his presentation, Mr Zahilas referred to Cedefop’s work in shaping, valuing and informing VET and reflected on the need for responses to the challenges of globalisation, technological developments, unemployment and migration.

He said that societies are searching for a more meaningful vocational education and training in the context of the labour market and there is a need for a better package that would attract learners, get people back into work and promote equality, inclusion and solidarity.