Policy approaches to tackle VET teacher shortages in the EU

Context

The 2020 Council Recommendation on VET, the Osnabrück Declaration and subsequent national reform plans recognised teachers and trainers as key enablers to achieving EU priorities in VET. In 2025, the Union of Skills initiative and the Herning Declaration described them as a strategic resource, calling for stronger action. Further measures are expected from the forthcoming EU Teachers and Trainers Agenda. 

Facts and findings

• Teacher shortages are among major issues across EU-27+ and affect all VET systems.
• More than 300 measures across EU-27+ target VET teachers and trainers in the Timeline of VET policies in Europe.
• VET teacher posts account for around 6 % of vacancies advertised through EURES.
• In Belgium (Flemish Community), 2022 PISA data indicate that 80.1 % of learners attended schools, including VET, where learning was impacted by teacher shortages, the highest rate in the EU.
• In 12 Member States, 44.2% of upper-secondary VET teachers are over 50 years old.
• Only 9% of VET teachers feel valued in their countries.

Key messages

• VET teacher shortages have been driven by ageing workforce, low numbers of new entrants, and growing replacement needs.
• Teacher shortages are likely to grow.
• Countries are responding with recruitment measures, continuing professional development, and career progression and retention of VET teachers but policies are often fragmented.
• Retaining teachers is not less important that recruiting new ones.
• Motivation and wellbeing (working conditions, access to training, support to deal with new challenges) are crucial for teaching remain attractive. Cedefop’s forthcoming Insight will explore it in-depth.
• Lack of data makes it hard to know what works.

Policy pointers

• Making VET teaching an attractive career for both new and experienced staff by improving pay, working conditions, status and clear career paths beyond classroom teaching, e.g. specialist, mentoring and leadership roles.
• Focusing on both hiring and keeping teachers by reducing workload, supporting wellbeing and preventing burnout, especially for beginners
• Improving alternative routes into teaching and make them high quality. For side-entry and hybrid teachers, clear standards, induction and mentoring, training and a pathway to a recognised teaching qualification are needed.
• Ensuring professional development is practical, relevant and accessible, targeting real teaching needs such as caring for diverse learners, using digital tools and teaching skills for the green transition, with protected CPD time for CPD.
• Building a stronger evidence base on VET teachers’ recruitment, working conditions, training, mobility and careers to inform better policies; Cedefop’s European Vocational Teacher Survey will be key.