Policy approaches to improve VET learner and teacher wellbeing

Context

Learner and teacher wellbeing in vocational education and training (VET) is a multidimensional concept encompassing physical and mental health, social belonging, and the conditions that enable learning, motivation and professional growth. Having come into focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, wellbeing gained stronger attention in the 2025 Herning Declaration on attractive and inclusive VET.

It is pushed by wider challenges such as declining learner performance, early leaving, worsening youth mental health. Transition between school and workplace settings in VET poses additional challenge. Teacher wellbeing is one of the factors leading to teacher shortages.

Facts and findings

• Wellbeing boosts results: students who report feeling happy score 50–62 points higher in PISA reading tests.
• Positive school climate and belonging are also associated with better results and lower dropout risk.
• Main drivers of VET learner wellbeing include safety and belonging, stress and mental health, digital risks, and uncertainty during transitions to work.
• 60% of VET teachers across 23 Member States report physical exhaustion and sleep disturbances, 42% feel emotionally drained (European Vocational Teacher Survey (ESVT)).
• VET teacher wellbeing is affected by expanding roles beyond just teaching, increasing workload and administrative burden, diverse learner needs and digitalisation pressure.
• Countries respond with awareness campaigns, reporting tools, counselling, financial aid, monitoring wellbeing, professional development.

Key messages

• Learner and teacher wellbeing is rising on the VET policy agenda, as important for VET quality, inclusiveness, and attractiveness.
• Promising policy approaches emerging, such as monitoring, participatory research, and whole-system reforms (e.g. Netherlands, Denmark).
• National initiatives tend to address specific wellbeing aspects rather than offering coherent and comprehensive strategies.
• There is strong focus on learner wellbeing in some countries, especially in safety, belonging, mental health, and guidance for transitions.
• Welbeing is essential for learners’ participation, persistence, and success.
• Teacher wellbeing receives less attention, but the awareness of these concerns is growing.
• Welbeing is important for teachers’ performance, retention, and capacity to address the evolving demands.
• Currently, evidence reflects commitments rather than measurable outcomes.

• Prioritising teacher wellbeing in VET policy: build concrete measures on workload, mental health support, mentoring, leadership, and recognition.
• Promoting whole-institution and community approaches, sharing responsibility among schools, employers, support services and communities.
• Strengthening access to specialised support services, such as counselling, guidance and mental health support, for both learners and teachers.
• Integrating digital wellbeing into broader wellbeing strategies.
• In addition to targeted measures, improving the overall organisation of school-based and work-based teaching and learning.
• Building a stronger evidence base where Cedefop’s ESVT will be key.