- 2017Implementation
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Completed
Background
Having begun in 2017, its aim is to adapt VET education and training systems more efficiently to labour market demands, facilitating transition from school to work, strengthening vocational education and training systems and improving their quality via mechanisms based on the anticipation of demands for skills, the adaptation of teaching materials and setting up and developing work-based learning systems. The project is implemented with the cooperation of the ministry responsible for IVET, the Innovative Training Support Centre (IKK) and the National Office for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning.
Objectives
The aim of the project is to improve the quality and content of 21st century vocational training and adult education.
Description
The aims of the project Improving the quality and content of 21st century vocational training and adult education (GINOP - 6.2.4) include the review of the examination system, the development of a validation system and the preparation of a methodology for VET content development that is compatible with open and innovative learning settings as well as the demands of the economy. Uniform criteria were also developed to strengthen the external evaluation system in CVET. Criteria include conformity of the adult training provider with the legal and professional requirements as well as the implementation of the training programmes in line with the provider's quality assurance system.
The most important components of the project are:
- overarching career guidance;
- development of information systems;
- offering digital teaching material;
- work-based VET learning programmes to strengthen basic skills (e.g. the school workshop programme, Dobbantó programme);
- strengthening dual VET;
- introduction of a validation system.
In 2019/20, two pilot programmes were implemented in two sectors (construction and transportation mechanical engineering) aiming at the evaluation of non-formal and informal learning, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic its finalisation has been delayed.
The description of the validation system is planned to be completed soon and consequently the pilots are scheduled to be finalised. In the course of the trials of the measuring tools, the validation of former work experience, prior knowledge and competences became available for 700 adults.
According to the provisions of the 2019 Act on VET LXXX, the new programme and outcome requirements (KKK) for assessing the basic VET qualifications are expressed in terms of learning outcomes, so the references where the assessments started are available. The new approach supports quality and transparency of qualifications by making the labour-market-related skills and competences transparent to all (learners, teachers and companies).
In 2019, within the framework of the project, an online career guidance platform was created and is continuously updated and new features elaborated (e.g. online career guidance club, online career counselling).
Three new modules were developed in the basic registration and study system of VET (e-KRÉTA system):
- KRÉTA Focus institution monitoring system module (the module includes and provides up-to-date data for the maintainer, the management of the VET centre and the directors of the VET institutions),
- KRÉTA Focus teacher monitoring system module (the module provides VET directors with a comprehensive overview of teachers' work and the methodological results they apply. The system does not provide a rating, but a motivational basis for heads of institutions and teachers),
- Vocational training, adult training and adult education system module (the purpose of its introduction is to expand the application methods for persons wishing to participate in vocational training).
The weekly updating of the career guidance portal content was continuous and smooth. The online career guidance events (webinars) were continuous, designed to promote career choices in VET schools to parents. Individual and group counselling helped young people. The preparation of films presenting occupations, the operation of an online career guidance club and careers advisors' Facebook groups were continuous.
The implementation of the Primary validation pilot projects involved assessing the prior knowledge measurement of 700 individuals. The pilot project, which aimed to introduce the validation system, was successfully completed by the milestone deadline of 30 November 2020.
For digital curricula, 312 scripts are available, of which 227 belong to VET. In the classroom, 279 digital curricula (digital learning content or digital modules) have been put into practice, of which 226 belong to VET. External quality assurance of digital curricula is a continuous practice. The last task related to external quality assurance of the available digital curricula is scheduled for January 2022. The accreditation of 20 digital curricula has been initiated through the SZIR system (VET information system, Szakképzés Információs Rendszere).
The pilot related to the implementation of the validation system was carried out in 2020 and, based on that, the study on the quality assurance system of the validation system was completed by 30 September, 2021.
Online events offered in the various career guidance online tools and webpages, have been increasingly attended not only by professionals, but also by parents and students. For instance, in December 2021 in the frame of the webinar on Disseminating the best practices, the winners of the Vocational Training Award were introduced, as well as the best practices and advices related to the Central written admission procedure. The number of the participants ranged between 70-80 persons, including parents. Online and personal parent-teacher meetings have also been held. Individual and group counselling also takes place to help young people on their way in their chosen career.
With respect to school workshop methods and support activities, the Springboard class (basic competences development programme), the sharepoint system and the related operational and educational documentation supporting the class and school workshop, have been completed. The KRÉTA (Public education registration and study core system, Köznevelési Regisztrációs és Tanulmányi Alaprendszer) school workshop (catch up) module and the development of its operational and educational documentation have also been completed.
Milestones and current status of indicators:
Digital curriculum development (content development)
- Development of educational tools Phase I (registration procedure as a textbook, conducting accreditation) 31 May 2022;
- Development of educational tools Phase II (revised teaching materials, registration procedure as a textbook, accreditation), Stage I: 15 February 2022, Stage II: 31 May 2022;
- Number of new teaching materials and methodologies developed for competence-based training by the end of 2022: 279 (target value 20);
- Number of professionals trained in the application of learning materials by the end of 2022: 3 009 (target value 3 000);
- Number of professionals who obtained qualifications and certificates in courses for the application of learning materials: 2 910 (target value 2 700).
Development of educational tools Phase II: 20 digital teaching materials supporting vocational training were published on the KRÉTA interface within the framework of the first stage, as well as general knowledge preparation materials for the maturita examination, financial literacy teaching materials and 135 digital learning materials were also uploaded to the KRÉTA Digital Collaboration Space interface. 52 digital teaching materials have been accredited. 40 accredited learning materials have been added to the list of vocational education textbooks.
Development of career orientation and excellence in VET
Ongoing activities include: palyaorientacio.nive.hu, the related Career Orientation Portal, Facebook page, 'Pályaori Tanácsadó' - for those who are about to make a carrier choice (number of members: 1 341 persons), and 'Pályaori Klub' - a professional online community space for career counsellors (number of members: 1 659 persons) Facebook groups.
The collection of international good practices and the project communications are ongoing.
On 30 November 2022, the online event 'Secondary school admission procedure - practical advice for the central written exam' was held with 80 participants.
Short films are made to support the career orientation for those about to choose a career and to promote the vocational occupations. A short film related to the field of technical interest has been uploaded to the Career Orientation Portal video library.
The project provides individual counselling to young people facing a career choice and adults facing a career change.
School workshop programme methodology and supporting activities, development of a Springboard class programme
Through the development of a collaboration platform aimed at informing businesses about the school workshop training form, 500 businesses were informed about the possibility of participating in the school workshop programme.
The physical completion of the project is scheduled for 31 May 2023.
The activities of the priority project, Improving the quality and content of 21st century vocational training and adult education (GINOP - 6.2.4), which began in 2017 and concluded on 31 August 2023, were divided into four main thematic areas:
- Development of digital curricula
- a total of 279 digital curricula were developed, of which 226 related to VET and 53 focused on general knowledge, financial, and economic literacy.
- training on digital learning materials was provided to 3 009 VET teachers.
- the digital learning materials are available through a closed-system distance learning management platform (NEXIUS framework), integrated into the e-KRÉTA system, enhancing the digital collaboration space functions of the KRÉTA system.
- Preparation for the implementation of the validation system
- a validation system specification was developed, outlining protocols and procedures for recognising prior learning for training and employment purposes.
- the validation model was tested in the Construction and Transport Engineering sectors through primary and secondary pilot studies.
- a total of 80 measurement tools (worksheets to assess work experience) were created.
- two pilot tests, involving 700 participants, were conducted.
- a proposal for a national validation system model was drafted, along with a quality assurance document and a brochure on recognising formal, non-formal, and informal learning.
- Career guidance
- two Career Guidance Situation Analysis studies were conducted to implement and further develop systemic career planning activities and career research for VET students and adults.
- a Methodological and Knowledge Centre for Career Planning and Guidance and a renewed Career Guidance Portal were established to enhance career guidance in VET Centres, strengthen networking, and facilitate communication with VET stakeholders.
- social media and online community tools (e.g. YouTube, Facebook) were utilised to engage students, parents, and professionals.
- ongoing online platforms include:
- Career Orientation Portal managed by National Office for VET and Adult Learning
- Pályaori Tanácsadó- a career guidance facebook group for individuals choosing a profession (1 362 members).
- Pályaori Klub - a professional facebook community for career counsellors (1 688 members).
- School workshop and Springboard programme: methodology and support
- Based on a situation analysis and international best practices, methodological guidelines for the School workshop programme and Springboard programme were developed.
- A proposal for the design, financing, and operation of the School workshop programme was created.
- A professional monitoring system, aligned with the KRÉTA system, was developed to support the educational, professional, and administrative tasks of the School workshop programme.
- A SharePoint system was introduced to facilitate the implementation of the pilot School workshop and Springboard programmes in VET schools. The platform hosts programme guidelines, support documents for teaching staff, measurement tools, and teaching resources.
- Online events were used to inform 574 enterprises about participation opportunities in the School workshop programme.
- A helpdesk was established to provide communication and methodological support for the School workshop programme.
Competence assessment in VET Centres: in the 2022/23 school year, competence assessments were conducted in 41 VET Centres and 5 Agricultural VET Centres as part of the GINOP-6.2.4-VEKOP-16 priority project.
From the school year 2023/24 onwards, competence assessment will continue under the GINOP PLUSZ-5.2.1-23 priority project, Improving measurement assessment, prior-knowledge feedback and interoperability in VET.
From the school year 2023/24 onwards, the measurements will be carried out under the GINOP PLUSZ-5.2.1-23 priority project 'Improving measurement assessment, prior-knowledge feedback and interoperability in VET'.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Culture and Innovation
- IKK Innovative Training Support Center (IKK Nonprofit Plc.)
- National Office for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning (NOVETAL)
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs)
- Learners at risk of early leaving or/and early leavers
- Learners with disabilities
- Adult learners
- Older workers and employees (55 - 64 years old)
- Unemployed and jobseekers
- Persons in employment, including those at risk of unemployment
- Low-skilled/qualified persons
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
- School leaders
- Adult educators
- Guidance practitioners
Entities providing VET
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers to further development of national quality assurance (QA) systems for IVET and CVET, for all learning environments (school-based provision and work-based learning, including apprenticeships) and all learning types (digital, face-to-face or blended), delivered by both public and private providers. These systems are underpinned by the EQAVET quality criteria and by indicative descriptors applied both at system and provider levels, as defined in Annex II of the VET Recommendation. The sub-category concerns creating and improving external and self-evaluation of VET providers, and establishing criteria of QA, accreditation of providers and programmes. It also covers the activities of Quality assurance national reference points for VET on implementing and further developing the EQAVET framework, including the implementation of peer reviews at VET system level.
High-quality and timely skills intelligence is a powerful policy tool, helping improve economic competitiveness and fostering social progress and equality through the provision of targeted skills training to all citizens (Cedefop, 2020). Skills intelligence is the outcome of an expert-driven process of identifying, analysing, synthesising and presenting quantitative and/or qualitative skills and labour market information. Skills intelligence draws on data from multiple sources, such as graduate tracking systems, skills anticipation mechanisms, including at sectoral and regional levels. Actions related to establishing and developing such systems fall under this thematic sub-category.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
VET standards and curricula define the content and outcomes of learning, most often at national or sectoral levels. VET programmes are based on standards and curricula and refer to specific vocations/occupations. They all need to be regularly reviewed, updated and aligned with the needs of the labour market and society. They need to include a balanced mix of vocational and technical skills corresponding to economic cycles, evolving jobs and working methods, and key competences, providing for resilience, lifelong learning, employability, social inclusion, active citizenship, sustainable awareness and personal development (Council of the European Union, 2020). The thematic sub-category also refers to establishing new VET programmes, reducing their number or discontinuing some. It also includes design of CVET programmes and training courses to adapt to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and re-skilling needs.
This thematic sub-category is about the way learners learn, how the learning is delivered to them, and by what means. Programmes become more accessible through a combination of adaptable and flexible formats (e.g. face-to-face, digital and/or blended learning), through digital learning platforms that allow better outreach, especially for vulnerable groups and for learners in geographically remote or rural areas.
This thematic sub-category focuses on developing and updating all kinds of learning resources and materials, both for learners and for teachers and trainers (e.g. teachers handbooks or manuals), to embrace current and evolving content and modes of learning. These activities target all kinds of formats: hard copy and digital publications, learning websites and platforms, tools for learner self-assessment of progress, ICT-based simulators, virtual and augmented reality, etc.
This thematic sub-category covers all developments related to work-based learning (WBL) elements in VET programmes and apprenticeships which continue to be important in the policy agenda. It includes measures to stabilise the offer of apprenticeships, the implementation of the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships, and using the EU on-demand support services and policy learning initiatives among the Member States. It also covers further expansion of apprenticeships and WBL to continuing VET (CVET), for transition to work and inclusion of vulnerable groups, and for improving citizens’ qualification levels.
Transparency and portability of VET skills and qualifications
European principles and tools, such as EQF, ESCO, ECTS, Europass and ECVET, provide a strong basis for transparency and portability of national and sectoral qualifications across Europe, including the issuing of digital diplomas and certificates.
This thematic category looks at how individuals are supported in transferring, accumulating, and validating skills and competences acquired in formal, non-formal and informal settings – including learning on the job – and in having their learning recognised towards a qualification at any point of their lives. This is only possible if qualifications are transparent and comparable and are part of comprehensive national qualifications frameworks. Availability of qualifications smaller than full and acquirable in shorter periods of time is necessary; some countries have recently worked on developing partial qualifications, microcredentials, etc.
This thematic sub-category refers to validation mechanisms allowing individuals to accumulate, transfer, and recognise learning outcomes acquired non-formally and informally, including on-the-job learning, or in another formal system. In case they are not automatically recognised, a learner can have these learning outcomes validated and recognised through a particular process with a view to obtaining a partial or full qualification. This thematic sub-category covers such provisions and mechanisms.
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to providing high-quality lifelong learning and career guidance services, including making full use of Europass and other digital services and resources.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
- Flexibility and progression opportunities at the core of VET
- VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills
Osnabrück Declaration
- Resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET
- Establishing a new lifelong learning culture - relevance of continuing VET and digitalisation
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). The project Improving the quality and content of 21st century vocational training and adult education (GINOP - 6.2.4): Hungary. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28696