Latvia: collaboration with Germany on VET

The project focuses on bolstering the capacity of Latvia's sector expert councils (SEC), empowering them to be more effective in shaping VET policy and ensuring alignment with labour market needs. Currently, the project team is revising the strategic goals of SEC in three key sectors: metal work and machinery, agriculture, and the wood (timber) industry. This collaborative effort aims to increase stakeholder ownership of VET developments in these sectors.

Beyond strategic planning, the project is tackling practical challenges, including developing improved methods for forecasting labour market needs at regional and local levels to optimise student enrolment. The project is also establishing criteria for assessing companies' readiness to implement work-based learning, a crucial element of modern VET.

A key principle of the collaboration is mutual learning. In December 2024, Latvian SEC experts visited Germany to learn from local best practices and to share own experiences. This exchange was preceded by several sector-specific preparatory seminars in Latvia. A joint workshop, organised in Riga in February 2025, brought together stakeholders from both countries to discuss initial project findings and chart the course forward. This inclusive approach ensures that VET policy-makers, social partners, VET providers, teachers, learners, and experts are all engaged in strengthening the SEC and fostering sectoral ownership of VET development.

Looking ahead, the project aims to transfer the successful strategies developed in the three pilot sectors to other SEC across Latvia, ensuring a broader impact on the Latvian VET system. The German Baltic Chamber of Commerce, a long-standing supporter of work-based learning in Latvia, provides valuable support to the cooperation.