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In the wake of the many economic consequences of the covid-19 virus, the Government and the social partners have reached an economic agreement to secure apprenticeships both during and after the crisis. Specifically, the agreement is to spend EUR 725 million on subsidising apprentice salaries.
On 11 March the Danish government decided that all public institutions, including all education establishments, should be closed to physical attendance from 16 March.
Almost a quarter of young people who enrol in a VET program have already completed general upper secondary education (23% in 2018). Of learners who enrolled in a VET programme in 2018, 39% had already started another kind of education programme (Statistics Denmark 2019).
Danish Parliament decided to consolidate patchwork of introductory courses and training for people under 25 without a general or vocational upper secondary education under one institution to provide better learning pathways.
The former Danish Government’s political agreement on VET includes initiatives aimed at giving skilled professionals more and better opportunities to enter higher education. The initiatives came into force in the summer of 2019.
Demand of vocational training upon completing primary/lower secondary school (folkeskole) has risen for the third consecutive year. Despite a fall, however, general upper secondary education remains the most popular choice among learners in classes 9 and 10.
A new government policy action aims to make it easier for young people to choose their education, and to change course if they are unhappy with their choice.
Danish vocational educational and training (VET) is still suffering from lack of attractiveness and high drop-out. The Danish parliament has agreed on several new initiatives aimed at making VET an attractive choice and supporting completion. The initiatives focus on content and quality of VET provision, and on easing progression from primary schools into vocational education for young people.
Vocational colleges still face problems with recruitment and low completion rates. Important factors are the lack of focus in municipalities responsible for primary education, and the lower status and negative social value attributed to vocational education by parents and young people. Further, vocational institutions saw a decline of financial resources due to falling numbers of students, while cutting short education affects opportunities to develop and create new and more attractive learning environments.
In recent decades Denmark has been facing an ongoing challenge of increasing number of young people choosing general upper secondary school over VET. Different national initiatives are addressing this challenge, with a political agreement opening the way to new approaches in primary/lower secondary school (folkeskole).