Reference year 2026
Version 2026
Drafted by Henrik Hersom, Associate professor, PhD, University College Copenhagen. The National Centre for Vocational Research and Development, Denmark - Member of Cedefop Community of apprenticeship experts for Denmark
1Scheme history
Apprenticeships were used by the ancient guilds to train craftsmen. When the guilds were abolished in the 19th century, apprenticeship remained as the way of delivering vocational qualifications.
In medieval times the apprenticeships were under the administration of guilds (this was dissolved in 1857). In 1937 the foundation of the system as we know it today was introduced. In 1956 the dual programme was introduced with periods of school-based and work-based education. Later, the school-based basic part of apprenticeship programmes was introduced in1970.
Latest, in 2015, after being piloted in a few programmes from 2010, a variation (EUX scheme) was introduced, allowing the combination of journeyman’s qualification and qualifications from upper secondary general education (which allow progression to higher education).
2Beneficiaries
Learners enrol in IVET usually at the age of 16-17. All IVET is organised as apprenticeship, and the workplace part of training usually starts after one year (40 weeks) of foundation training
The usual target group of IVET programmes is the age bracket 16-17, but many learners enrol at a later age.
A distinction is made between mainstream and adult VET, but all programmes are organized as apprenticeships.
105,745 learners were enrolled in IVET in 2025 (30 September)
Since 2017, IVET enrolment figures range between 104,000 and 113,000. In 2019, 108,424 learners were endolled in IVET.
Bestanden på erhvervsuddannelserne. Se hvor mange elever er i gang med en erhvervsuddannelse.
3Qualifications
IVET qualifications are generally at level 4 of the NQF.
Cedefop’s NQF online tool presents information on the state of play of the NQF: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/nqfs-online-tool
Programme number 353.10/level 353
Apprenticeship is the dominant form of IVET. Only in very exceptional cases is it possible to achieve qualifications at IVET-level by other means.
Learners who are not able to conclude an apprenticeship contract with an enterprise may receive the practical parts of their training in so called placement centres (skolepraktikcentre), which have been set up in connection with the vocational schools. This is meant to emulate enterprise training, however, and enrolment only happens when all possibilities for a normal apprenticeship contract are exhausted.
For some learners, practical training may also be undertaken partly or entirely in a FGU.
Journeyman
Learners with IVET qualifications as a rule have to take supplementary courses to enrol in higher education.
The exception to this is the EUX variation of apprenticeships, which also confers general upper secondary qualifications that allow more direct progression to higher education.
Programme EUX: since 2011, for several professions, it has been possible to take an apprenticeship programme which confers both the usual journeyman’s qualification (as above) and qualifications from upper secondary general education that allows access to higher education (EUX). This variety of mainstream apprenticeships is of a slightly longer duration due to extended school periods
A minimum duration of 2 years and 2 months is set, corresponding to the basic level of journeyman’s qualifications.
The Law on VET (Lov om Erhvervsuddannelser) stipulates that IVET programmes “as a rule cannot exceed 4 years and 6 months". Still, there are some programmes with longer duration.
For example, programmes with maximum duration of 5 years lead to both journeyman’s qualification and qualifications from upper secondary general education (EUX).
Usually VET programmes last 4 years including the first year of basic school-based training.
4Governance
Social partners play an institutionalized role at all levels of VET, from the National advisory council on vocational upper secondary education and training (Rådet for de grundlæggende Erhvervsrettede Uddannelser), which advises the Ministry of Education on principal matters concerning VET, to playing an advisory role at the local level through local training committees comprised of representatives of the social partners who advise colleges on local adaptations of VET. Their most important role is to ensure that VET provision is in line with the needs of the labour market.
Details about curriculum, duration, remuneration etc. are decided for each programme by the social partners in the so-called trade committees, which have a central role in apprenticeship governance and coordination (see also below).
Social partners play an institutionalized role at all levels of VET.
The National advisory council on vocational upper secondary education and training (Rådet for de grundlæggende Erhvervsrettede Uddannelser) advises the Ministry of Education on principal matters concerning VET.
In relation to shaping the apprenticeship content, social partners in the Trade Committees at national and local level:
• Provide yearly evaluation rapport with assessment of future needs for new competences and the description of new learning outcomes
• define learning objectives and curricula;
• define the length of a programme and its division between the school and the enterprise.
Most often apprentice associations and initiatives are organised in the Trade Committees at a national and a local level.
The social partners in the Trade Committees at national and local level:
- Assess and give accreditation to companies that allow them to hire apprentices
- Provide assessors for the final exams (journeyman’s test).
- Negotiate the wage level for apprentices
(Local) trade committees assist and advise national trade committees in approving local enterprises as qualified training establishments and in mediating conflicts between apprentices and enterprises. Finally, local training committees help to ensure that enough suitable local training placements are available.
The Ministry of Education is the central authority with overall responsibility for vocational education. The Ministry sets goals, drafts legislation, approves the provision of education and ensures quality.
The Danish Agency for Education and Quality handles specific administrative tasks, including follow-up on political agreements to strengthen vocational education.
117 educational institutions in Denmark offer basic vocationally oriented education programmes. A number of schools offer programmes through local branches at locations other than the main school. As self-governing institutions, vocational schools are governed by a governing board with overall responsibility for the administrative and financial running of the school and educational activities in accordance with the framework administered by the education ministry. The board consists of representatives of teachers, learners, administrative staff and social partners.
VET teachers often have a background within the subject that they teach, but many teachers also have an academic background.
In 2024, the government and parliamentary parties have reached an agreement to allocate funding for modern, green-oriented equipment and for upskilling teachers in green competences, enabling learners to acquire relevant skills for sustainable and emerging occupations
For more detailed information, you can also see Cedefop’s activities on VET teachers and trainers: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/themes/vet-youth-teachers-trainers
The apprentice needs to learn a number of objectives. Throughout the time at the apprenticeship, the training site/the company is obliged to fill out a questionnaire concerning the learning objectives in order to make sure that the apprentice learns what is intended. The questionnaire (declaration) contains information regarding the apprentice’s tasks and whether the apprentice has fulfilled the learning objectives established in the education agreement.
Traineeship/apprenticeship in VET education programmes is completed with an apprenticeship test (svendeprøve).
Self-evaluation remains the primary quality assurance mechanism, but external evaluation plays an important role. The overall concept of evaluation has changed from control of inputs to output control with a focus on results and quality. The purpose of output regulation is to increase the focus on results and quality so that institutional practices meet political objectives, including enabling education programmes to be adapted to the needs of regional and local labour markets for education and skills development. Monitoring takes place at two levels:
o System level: The assessment concerns the effectiveness of more than 100 different main courses, based, among other things, on the employment rate of graduates. The education ministry discusses any challenges with REU (The Advisory Council for Initial Vocational Education and Training) to assess relevance in relation to labour market needs and the need for change.
o Institutional level: According to the main executive order, schools must establish a quality assurance system and carry out regular quality checks. In addition, the education ministry conducts ongoing supervision of schools.
Completion, dropout and exam results are also included in the assessment of school quality. The social partners supplement the ministry's work through professional committees and local education committees, which assess the quality of curricula, apprenticeships, graduates, etc.
Graduate tracking takes place. For example, according to a 2021 National statistics survey, 79% of newly qualified skilled workers were employed shortly after completing their education. Nyt fra Danmarks Statistik: Fra uddannelse til arbejdsmarked - Danmarks Statistik
5Training at the workplace
The first year of IVET programmes in Denmark is school-based training. From the second year, most learners get an apprenticeship contract with a company or a public institution and usually spend 2/3 of their time with work-based learning and 1/3 of their time with school-based learning
Only in very exceptional cases is it possible to achieve qualifications at IVET level by other means. Learners who are not able to conclude an apprenticeship contract with an enterprise may receive the practical parts of their training in so called placement centers (skolepraktikcentre), which have been set up in connection with the vocational schools. This is meant to emulate enterprise training, however, and enrolment only happens when all possibilities for a normal apprenticeship contract are exhausted.
For some learners, practical training may also be undertaken partly or entirely in a FGU.
The apprenticeship system is built on block release, where apprentices spend periods of up to one year in the enterprises, and have school periods of up to 3 months (apart from the initial period (grundforløbet) which is entirely school-based and may last up to 40 weeks.
Apprenticeship is the dominant form of IVET in Denmark. Only learners who are not able to conclude an apprenticeship contract with an enterprise may receive the practical parts of their training in so called placement centres. But almost all students end up signing an apprenticeship contract before the end of their education.
This varies a lot depending on the specific training programme. In Denmark there is more than a hundred different VET programmes and each of them has its own learning objectives. Details about curriculum, duration (but also remuneration etc.) are decided for each programme by the social partners in the so-called trade committees, which have a central role in apprenticeship governance and coordination.
The time period at the apprenticeship is mostly about the general/technical skills whereas the time period at the VET school is more about the personal/interpersonal skills and general subjects. The general subjects are offered at the first and second period at school (GF1 and GF2). This includes the digital skills.
Learning objectives (praktikmål) for the placement periods are defined by the Trade Committees and the employer must provide training that allows the apprentice to reach these learning objectives.
The enterprise is obliged to provide training so that the apprentice can reach the learning objectives (praktikmål) that have been formulated by the relevant Trade Committee for the placement periods.
There are requirements as to the ratio of apprentices and trained employees, as well as the nature of the tasks undertaken and the availability of machines and tools relevant to the trade. The rules for this are formulated by the Trade Committees.
Enterprises wishing to take apprentices must be approved by the Trade Committee (which may delegate this task to the vocational school).
Workplaces are not obligated to provide trained mentors, but there are short voluntary courses for trainers.
Each workplace is obliged to have a training officer which is an employee that is responsible for the training of the apprentice. The training officer both offer the training himself/herself, and is a supervisor/coordinator of the training.
Workplaces are not obligated to provide trained mentors, but there are short voluntary courses for trainers.
Each workplace is obliged to have a training officer which is an employee that is responsible for the training of the apprentice. The training officer is required to onboard the apprentice and to take care of the apprentices learning and the well-being throughout the training period. The training officer both offer the training himself/herself, and is a supervisor/coordinator of the training. In smaller companies the training officer mostly has both job functions whereas the responsibility is more delegated in larger companies.
Social partners have decided that training should not be compulsory for in-company trainers. However, the latter can follow ten-day or six-week courses of public labour market training (AMU) leading to formal qualifications at EQF levels 2 to 5, such as for coaching or pedagogical guidance. These courses are primarily used in the social and health care sector.
The courses can also deliver competences for professionals from different sectors when they assess quality in journeyman tests.
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/sea…
They can lose the right to train apprentices
6Contract and compensation
The apprentice is an employee of the enterprise but has a special status as a learner. The enterprise is obliged to provide training so that the apprentice can reach the learning objectives (praktikmål) that have been formulated by the relevant Trade Committee for the placement periods.
The learner concludes an apprenticeship contract with the enterprise. The vocational school approves the contract but is not a signatory part.
The apprentice has the status of an employee at the enterprise. The agreement is a formal contract that is signed either as a short-term or a long-term contract. It ensures the rights of both the apprentice and the company/workplace, and it can be cancelled if there is a breach of contract. Most often the contract is not signed for the whole VET training period but only for a part of it. In that case the contract either can be renewed, or the apprentice can try to find another apprenticeship.
As a general rule, during traineeship and apprenticeship in Denmark, students are covered by the Act on Industrial Injury Insurance. The coverage is regulated by the ministerial order on industrial injury insurance for students. The workplace/company is responsible for the insurance during the apprenticeship.
Apprentices are covered by the general regulations of the labour code and the student’s work should have a purely educational purpose.
The learner’s vocational school approves the contract (checks that all formalities are met) and registers the contract. Then the school sends the contract to the Trade Committee (Det faglige udvalg) and to the Ministry of education.
All apprentices receive wage (taxable income).
The apprentice is paid wages from the moment the contract comes into force.
Apprentices’ wages are negotiated as part of the collective agreements between the social partners. An example (plumber apprentices, 2019):
1st year DKK 66.15 per hour
2nd year DKK 76.30 per hour
3rd year DKK 96.15 per hour
4th year DKK 109.45 per hour
5th year (EUX) DKK 120,20 per hour
7Financing and incentives
The apprentice’s wages are paid by the employer. The employer may recover costs for wages during school periods from the Employers Reimbursement Fund (AUB).
Employers with apprentices are required to pay the apprentice’s wages during the apprenticeship.
Employers with more than five employees must contribute to the so-called Employers Reimbursement Scheme (Arbejdsgivernes Uddannelsesbidrag - AUB) irrespective of whether they have apprentices or not. The funds are used to compensate employers with apprentices for the extra costs they have for this (e.g. wages of apprentices during school periods, when they are not available to the enterprise).
In this respect, the Employers Reimbursement Scheme (AUB) is part of the overall financing of apprenticeships.
Employers with more than five employees must contribute to the so-called Employers Reimbursement Scheme (Arbejdsgivernes Uddannelsesbidrag - AUB) irrespective of whether they have apprentices or not. The funds are used to compensate employers with apprentices for the extra costs they have for this (e.g. wages of apprentices during school periods).
Companies and institutions that do not take their share of apprentices have to pay extra to the common fund (AUB).
So, an expected ratio is calculated for different industries and those workplaces who do not have enough apprentices have to pay the equivalent of 3600 euro per year per ‘missing’ apprentice.
At the same time those who expand their number of apprentices are rewarded with 3350 per year per extra apprentice. Link
In some cases, the industries and the trade committees organize campaigns in order to make more companies employ apprentices or to make more apprentices interested in specific industries that face a lack of apprentices.
The Ministry of Children and Education runs the website lærepladsen.dk, that facilitates the contact and matching of apprentices and companies.
Apprenticeship placements may be posted in various various job sites, e.g. Ledige jobs, www.jobindex.dk
Short voluntary courses for trainers are offered by the Trade Committees
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