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National vocational education and training (VET) policy is currently focusing on green challenges. The draft education strategy 2021-27 makes green thinking and digital competences a priority.
The past decade was the turning point in reforming vocational education and training (VET) in Latvia. In 2009, the government concept for increasing the attractiveness of VET and social partner involvement in quality assurance launched the reform cycle that concluded with the 2020 draft amendments to the VET law envisaging fundamental changes in VET planning and provision.
Latvia declared a state of emergency on 12 March (Cabinet Order No. 103 Regarding Declaration of Emergency Situation). All vocational education and training schools were closed for on-site studies as of 13 March, teaching and learning being carried out remotely, including adult education.
The five-year collaboration between the education ministries and other stakeholders in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia seeking common approaches to work-based learning (WBL) and WBL tutor training is bearing fruit.
On 22 November 2019 stakeholders discussed the developments in adult education in the national forum ‘I work and learn’. Topics included among others: learning for employees at the workplace, involvement of employers in adult education, good practice examples in providing learning at the workplace, challenges and solutions for quality assurance in non-formal education.
In August 2019, representatives of local governments, adult education coordinators and programme providers discussed the development of adult education policy and its implementation in the Latgale region, which has the highest unemployment rate in the country. This was the first round of the four planned regional discussions.
Since 2014, the situation in the labour market for young people aged 15 to 29 has improved as more NEETs (not in employment, education and training) have become economically active.
Validation of non-formal and informal learning outcomes was introduced in 2011 (for professional qualifications at EQF levels 2-4) and in 2012 (for higher education at EQF levels 5-7).
In October 2018, the government approved a common list of occupational standards (EQF levels 2-7). The list comprises occupations required by the labour market and identified in sectoral qualifications frameworks.
Around 75% of the economically active population are above 45 in Latvia. In the next 20 years, due to this ageing workforce, there will be a shortage of employees with medium-level vocational education and training (VET) qualifications, especially in engineering, manufacturing and construction.