National Vocational Training is the name of a new form of upper secondary education option for adults, with a pilot starting in autumn 2024. The Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education (MYH) has approved 38 applications to conduct training programmes in this new educational format.
Companies experience skills shortages
Although unemployment is rising, skill shortages exist in Sweden, as also pointed out by the Labour market tendency survey 2023. According to the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, upper secondary vocational skills are what the business sector wants. Many companies have had difficulties in finding applicants with the right skills.
National Vocational Training – a new path of skill supply
National Vocational Training – based on the successful higher vocational education model – is offered at upper secondary level for adults. The programmes consist of different courses, which offer training in the skills needed on the labour market. A large proportion of these courses consists of workplace-based learning, and are managed by a group composed of representatives from the business sector. The programmes vary in duration from 6 to 18 months.
Since National Vocational Training is based on the labour market needs at national level, this new form of education aims to complement the municipal vocational training at upper secondary level.
Pilot phase 2024-26
The pilot phase of these new training courses will start in autumn 2024 and last until 2026. For the implementation of these pilot programmes, the MYH received a government grant of EUR 2 million for 2024 and EUR 8.8 million annually for 2025 and 2026. The MYH has chosen to approve 38 training programmes out of a total of 86 applications received for this pilot phase.
Initially, the MYH chose to limit the range of trainings courses to the following selected areas: construction and civil engineering, electricity and energy, vehicle and transport, industrial technology, and agriculture. Among the approved training programmes starting this autumn are alarm and security technician, international welder, forest caretaker, gardener, and marine electrician.
Read more
- Pilotverksamhet: Nationell yrkesutbildning [Piloting: National vocational training]
- Förordning (2024:107) om stöd för en nationell yrkesutbildning [Ordinance (2024:107) on support for a national vocational education and training]
| Please cite this news item as: ReferNet Sweden, & Cedefop (2024, September 11). Sweden: VET reform tackles skill shortages. National news on VET |
