VET specialisation track in initial teacher training

Timeline

2016Completed

ID number

28456

Background

A brief overview of the context and rationale of the policy development, explaining why it is implemented or why it is important.

This measure was included in the update of the Teacher agenda action plan 2013-20, which was approved in November 2015. The action plan aimed to improve initial training of VET teachers, as prospective VET teachers were less satisfied with their preparation compared to general education teachers. Managers in VET schools were also less satisfied with new teachers than managers in general education schools.

Description

What/How/Who/For whom/When of the policy development in detail, explaining its activities and annual progress, main actors and target groups.

From 2016 onwards, teacher training colleges (higher professional education) have offered programmes for a VET teaching qualification at bachelor level. More specifically, the vocational education specialisation track has been introduced in teacher training bachelor programmes. The aim of this specialisation is to prepare teachers adequately for pre-vocational secondary education and upper secondary vocational education. Before the implementation of this measure, teacher training focused primarily on teachers in general education.

Research in 2018, showed that all teacher training institutions have implemented the track, leading to a significantly increased focus on VET.

2016

Completed

Bodies responsible

This section lists main bodies that are responsible for the implementation of the policy development or for its specific parts or activities, as indicated in the regulatory acts. The responsibilities are usually explained in its description.

Ministry of Education, Culture and Science

Target groups

Those who are positively and directly affected by the measures of the policy development; those on the list are specifically defined in the EU VET policy documents. A policy development can be addressed to one or several target groups.

Education professionals

Teachers

Thematic categories

Thematic categories capture main aspects of the decision-making and operation of national VET and LLL systems. These broad areas represent key elements that all VET and LLL systems have to different extents and in different combinations, and which come into focus depending on the EU and national priorities. Thematic categories are further divided into thematic sub-categories. Based on their description, policy developments can be assigned to one or several thematic categories.

Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences

Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.

This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.

The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.

Systematic approaches to and opportunities for initial and continuous professional development of school leaders, teachers and trainers

This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.

Subsystem

Part of the vocational education and training and lifelong learning systems the policy development applies to.

IVET

Country

Netherlands

Type of development

Policy developments are divided into three types: strategy/action plan; regulation/legislation; and practical measure/initiative.

Practical measure/Initiative

Cite as

Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). VET specialisation track in initial teacher training: Netherlands. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28456

Timeline of VET policies in Europe