Future-proofing VET in Europe – Progress, challenges and policy directions

The first ever Council Recommendation on VET for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience (hereinafter, the VET Recommendation), and the Osnabrück Declaration started the current policy cycle in 2020. In response to the set priorities, EU-27, Norway and Iceland and five candidate countries, Albania, Montenegro, CCs set ambitious national plans, to achieve the following six priorities: making their VET systems agile and attractive, flexible and inclusive, innovative and quality assured. The Union of Skills (March 2025), the Herning Declaration (September 2025), and the forthcoming EU VET strategy are renewing the VET policy agenda to focus on attractive and inclusive VET for increased competitiveness and quality jobs. Cedefop and ETF monitor how the countries have been implementing EU common and national priorities in VET. 

Facts and findings

• Approximately 450 national measures in the EU-27, Norway and Iceland have been launched between 2020-2025 across all the VET priority areas.
• Countries have made significant progress in implementing the VET priorities. It applies both to quantitative and qualitative targets.
• Notable achievements have been made in making VET systems agile, flexible, innovative, and quality-assured. 
• Progress in strengthening VET attractiveness and inclusiveness differs across countries.
• Quantitative targets: the 60% share of VET learners benefiting from work-based learning (WBL) was already achieved in 2021 and has been exceeding the target with 65.3% in 2024. The employment rate of VET graduates of 82% has been almost reached with 80% EU average in 2024. The initial VET learner mobility rate is below the target of 12% as set in the Europe on the Move.

Key messages

• Many policy developments have moved to implementation in 2023-2025, creating significant momentum for policy reform in the next policy cycle renewed by the Herning Declaration.
• Adapting to rapid labour market changes has been among the most progressing policy priorities across countries, with progress achieved by modernising VET standards, curricula, and programmes to incorporate a balanced mix of vocational skills necessary for the green and digital transition.
• Countries have shown their commitment to enhancing VET flexibility and and making lifelong learning a reality for all through the adoption of learning outcomes, modularisation, microcredentials and validation and recognition of learning outcomes acquired outside formal systems.
• Despite positive progress, the implementation of national VET reforms and policies faces recurring institutional, financial, and cultural structural challenges cutting across multiple areas: fragmented governance and limited coordination, availability of financial resources, and low societal perception of VET.

Policy pointers

• Align VET with national economic, employment, labour market and social strategies and policies. 
• Stakeholder involvement is crucial: define clear roles, share objectives and responsibilities, institutionalise cooperation.
• Take forward the potential of CoVEs for VET systems.
• Ensure sustainable funding arrangements and smooth transitions from EU-funded projects to coordinated and monitored national, regional, local and sectoral funding.
• Continue work on integrating digital, green and transversal skills in all VET programmes to ensure that VET graduates are equipped with skills needed for evolving and changing jobs. 
• Use advanced technologies in teaching and learning, support VET teachers and trainers to work with those.
• Place VET teachers and trainers in focus, combine professional autonomy, physical and mental well-being and targeted professional development (CPD).
• Promote VET as a valuable and future-oriented pathway. Provide evidence for learners, companies and providers acquired through systematic policy monitoring.